Anbumani Ramadoss questions State Government over unpaid excise duty on liquor

‘This would mean that the number of people dying due to alcohol consumption, which was calculated based on revenue, could be much higher’

PMK youth wing leader Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday said State Finance Minister P.T.R Palanivel Thiaga Rajan’s admission that around 50% of the excise duty on liquor was not being paid to the State government could not be ignored and pointed out that this would mean that the number of people dying due to alcohol consumption, which was calculated based on revenue, could be much higher.

He said the issue was not something one could just gloss over and demanded the State government to clarify the steps taken to tackle it. In a statement, Dr. Anbumani said if half th excise duty from liquor sales was not being paid, then the fault lies with Tasmac and not with the private players.

“There are around 11 alcohol distilleries and seven beer breweries in Tamil Nadu. How is Tasmac allowing them to supply to stores if 50% excise duty is not being paid? If the bottles are being sold in Tasmac, who is taking home the money? If they are not being sold in Tasmac, where are they sold? Are they being sold in the black market,” he asked.

Dr. Anbumani added that around ₹40,000 crore would have been lost every year based on the Finance Minister’s statement.

“While State government faces a loss in tax revenue, it is also shocking to note the amount of alcohol being consumed in Tamil Nadu. The data says that around 1 lakh people die due to alcohol consumption, which is calculated based on the revenue from alcohol. If almost half of liquor sales is not being shown in the books, the total number will be close to 2 lakh deaths. The liquor shops should be shut immediately,” Dr. Anbumani said.