Arunachal Pradesh Cabinet levies 25% cess on liquor's retail prices

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: In order to augment State's own resources and to generate much-needed revenue to combat COVID-19 pandemic, the Arunachal Pradesh Cabinet has decided to levy a cess of 25 per cent on retail prices of all alcoholic beverages including Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), beer, imported alcoholic beverages and wine.

The said cess would be effective from 1 AM on Saturday, an official informed here.

The cess has been levied at retail prices and shall be payable before movement of goods from wholesale vends to retail outlets.

The increase in the cess would garner Rs 70 crores to the State exchequer monthly, State Excise Secretary Anirudh S Singh informed.

Singh in an official order on Friday stated that the 25 per cent cess on retail prices of alcoholic beverages would be payable to the state exchequer under the Head of Account 0039 (State Excise) as an additional levy.

"All collectors of excise shall issue transport permits for movement of goods from wholesale vends to retail outlets only after the realization of the 25 per cent cess only after the treasury challan in prescribed format is duly submitted to them," the order said.

"The transport permit issues shall clearly mention the category, brand, volume and batch number of goods being transported, including the amount of cess paid," the order added.

Meanwhile, the government has extended the summer vacations of all government schools in the state till May 31.

An official order issued by Education Secretary Niharika Rai on Friday said, "The summer vacation of all government schools in the state is extended up to May 31 or until further order for the academic session 2020-21.

Arunachal Pradesh had reported only one covid-19 case from Lohit district so far.

The 31-year-old person with travel history to Tablighi Jammat congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin, was treated at Tezu Zonal Hospital in the district and was discharged from the hospital on April 17. 

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