Canacona Excise generates revenue of Rs 46 lakh

Canacona Excise generates revenue of Rs 46 lakh
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
CANACONA, APRIL 2
Taluka’s borders with State’s neighbours and its vulnerable coasts may be porous enough to drain government’s revenue, but the local excise office seems to be high on spirits as it made State’s treasury richer by Rs 46 lakh in the just concluded financial year.
If sources are to be believed, the revenue collected by Canacona excise office through various receipts pertaining to excise/license fees during financial year 2009-10 has worked out to over Rs 46 lakh.
The local office has been kept exceptionally busy for the last two days, as bar owners from coastal areas at Agonda, Khola, Galgibaga, Talpona and Polem were seen lining-up to pay license fees, which government has brought down to Rs 4,000, bringing a parity in rates in entire Canacona taluka.
Interestingly, in protest over government’s decision against enhancement of coastal bar license fees from Rs 2,000 to Rs 7,000, these bar owners refused to pay the same till government in logical move brought parity in these fees structure along with municipal bars.
It is learnt that one of the main source of government’s revenue though excise office is from the three licenses issued to distilleries in the taluka.
However, sources informed that only two of these operate, while a third, a major one in the taluka except for its renewal fees however its plants in sedate state in the industrial area.
Including the bars, retail and wholesale, besides three distillery units, Canacona has about 432 small and medium license holders to sell spirits/alcohol-related liquors/breweries, out of which barring 10%, all license holders is learnt to have paid their license dues to the government’s treasury.
Besides, the excise department also earns revenue from seasonal cashew harvests, where it issues temporary distilling licenses and collects cashew zones auction fees.