The Uttar Pradesh Excise department has claimed a significant surge in revenue collection following the enforcement drive against illicit liquor and smuggling. In July 2024, the revenue receipt was of Rs 3,952.53 crore, which is 115 per cent more than the revenue received in the same month last year.

Minister of State for Excise (Independent Charge) Nitin Agarwal said that the department had set the target of Rs 4,700 crore in the month of July, against which a revenue of Rs 3,952.53 crore was realised, which is 84.1% of the target.

He said that for the current fiscal 2024-25, the government has set the target to earn excise revenue of Rs 58,310 crore, against which revenue of Rs 15,736.29 crore has so far been collected till July. He said the officers had been directed to ensure the achievement of a 100% target.

On the results of the enforcement drive, the minister said till July in the current financial year 2024-25, as many as 78,640 raids were conducted by the enforcement team in the state and 2,292 cases of illegal liquor distillation were registered. Action was taken against 6,593 people for smuggling illegal liquor within the state border and 22 people were found involved in interstate liquor smuggling.

The minister said that under the enforcement action in the state, 1,92,448 litres of raw liquor was caught, 20,699 litres of illegal country liquor and 9,875 litres of illegal foreign liquor were seized. As many as 1,921 accused involved in this were arrested, 376 people were sent to jail and 15 vehicles were seized.