Bhubaneswar: The ruling BJP government in the state will introduce its own excise policy. As this is taking time, the previous BJD government’s policy has been extended by another month. For the financial year 2024-25, the then BJD government implemented the excise policy from April to July.
State Excise Department Special Secretary Archana Das Patnaik has informed the State Excise Commissioner that the current Odisha Excise Policy 2024-25 has been extended by one more month. The guidelines will be worked out with various fees at prevailing rates till August 31. However, according to the Commissioner, restrictions on the opening of new liquor shops in rural areas are in force,Â
On the other hand, according to the information received from the department, the Mohan Majhi government of the state is now working to come up with its own excise policy. Crackdown on the opening of new liquor shops in the state and periodic reduction in the number of liquor shops and the BJD government’s ‘5-year license in lottery system’ are likely to make sweeping changes. Apart from this, the BJP government has also planned to reduce the dependence on excise tax for revenue collection like the previous BJD government.
It is worth noting that every year before March 31, the state government announces the new excise policy. However, in view of the general elections this year, the state government announced this April 1 to July 31. Which has now been extended till August 31.
