With an increase in excise duty and additional excise duty in Puducherry, alcohol will cost travellers and residents of the Union Territory a lot more
Puducherry: While several people from the south prefer to visit Puducherry to be served alcohol at lower prices, bad news awaits travellers to the Union Territory as the Puducherry government has increased the Excise Duty (ED) and Additional Excise Duty (AED) on all alcoholic beverages.
According to reports, the excise duty for cheap and ordinary brands (less than Rs 600 per case) of alcohol has been increased from Rs 93 to Rs 100 whereas, for medium and premium brands, it has increased from Rs 110 to Rs 115.
AED ordinary brands have also increased by Rs 2 to Rs 12.50 per quarter bottle, and the same would affect the price of all medium and premium brands as they would increase by anywhere between Rs 10 and Rs 30.
Several reports also claimed that rates have increased from Rs 20 per bulk litre to Rs 25 while ED payable on craft and draught beer made in micro-breweries is Rs 600 per bulk litre. Bottled beer prices have also increased by Rs 10 per unit.
Wine and alcoholic beverages, which do not exceed 24% of alcohol content has been increased from Rs 20 to Rs 25 per bulk litre.
The last revision of excise duty was made in 2017, while additional excise duty was revised in February 2019.
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, however, have assured that there are no changes to liquor pricing. According to reports, the Puducherry government has earned around Rs 850 crore as excise revenue in the last financial year.
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