Team Herald
MAPUSA: Imposing tax on urak, feni and wine will affect Goans at large, Ports Minister Michael Lobo has warned.
The minister was reacting to the Goa government’s proposal made in the Budget to impose a tax on feni, the State heritage drink.
Observing that wine is consumed at Goan weddings and cultural functions, Lobo said that its price should not be increased.
“Similarly, the prices of urak and feni should not be increased, as it will affect the Goans at large, and people will not like it. Our request to the chief minister is that, the price of wine also should not be increased, so that, poorest of the poor can afford it during wedding,” he said.
Arguing that increasing the Excise duty on liquor will not affect the State, the minister said, “Compared to States like Karnataka, Delhi and Maharashtra, the price of liquor is almost 30-40 percent lower in Goa even after increasing the Excise duty.”
He also argued that imposition of Section 144 will affect the tourism industry. “Till now there is no problem with the imposition of Section of 144. Initially, there was a hue and cry in the industry, but now it is subsided,” Lobo said.
