Noida: Over Rs. 770 crore liquor consumed in a year?
Noida will soon turn into a town of 'sharabis', if the latest data by the Excise department is to be believed. Since April last year till January 31 this year, liquor worth Rs. 775 crore was consumed by Noida. It can be safely said that this figure may hit around Rs. 900 crore by the end of the fiscal year.
Liquor consumption on the rise with every passing year
Consumption of liquor is going north with every passing year. In 2016-17, the total liquor sale value in Noida came to Rs. 865 crore, while it is Rs. 775 crore till now and counting. "The total excise duty revenue during 2016-17 was Rs. 497 crore which was Rs. 17 crore more than previous year's revenue," District Excise Officer (DEO) Kuldeep Yadav had said in June 2017.
11% rise in country-made liquor consumption
Like last year, this time too the district excise department confirmed that consumers of high-end liquor have increased as well as women drinkers. "In the 2017-18 financial year, country liquor consumption till January-end was 66.71 lakh liters," said Rakesh Kumar Singh, district excise officer, Gautam Budh Nagar, as against 80 lakh litres last year. Canned beer is still the preferred choice, he added.
What women want: Liquor shops in malls
If the revenue incurred from a shop situated in Ashok Nagar went to Noida instead of Delhi the actual consumption may be registered at 30% more than the sale from licensed shops. In the meantime, women have urged repeatedly for opening liquor shops in malls, since they feel awkward to buy from normal ones. Moreover, they can also choose their drink after studying thoroughly.
