Chhattisgarh govt increases additional excise duty on liquor

The Chhattisgarh government on Thursday decided to increase the additional excise duty on alcoholic beverages in the state.

Earlier, the additional excise duty was ₹5 per bottle which will now be ₹10, officials said.

“To meet the excise revenue target of 2022-23 as well as the fund required for the development of ‘gauthans’ (places in the villages where animals are kept in day time, which are being developed as rural industrial parks by the government) and other development activities in the state, the cabinet has approved a hike in the “additional excise duty”, state minister Mohammad Akbar said after the cabinet meeting.

Akbar further said that the cabinet had also approved the new fisheries policy replacing the existing one and its details will be presented in the assembly scheduled to be held from July 20.

“The proposal for formation of a District Strike Force (DSF) cadre by dissolving the sanctioned posts of assistant constables in the state has also been approved. The decision will remove the discrepancies related to the salary of the police assistant constables,” the minister added.

The cabinet has approved the proposal of increasing the limit under the voluntary grant of the chief minister from ₹40 crore to ₹70 crore per annum, he said.

The cabinet also decided to provide standalone Rolling Mills under HV-4 category steel industry with a concession in energy cess under a special relief package of the state government for the period from July 1 this year till March 32 next year, so that it may sustain the competition despite the challenges of economic slowdown, a note issued by the government stated.

The cabinet also approved the Chhattisgarh Ground Water (Management and Regulation) Bill-2022 and the draft of the amendment bill, 2022 under the Chhattisgarh Ministers (Salaries and Allowances) Act, 1972.