States, UPA record Rs 25,000 cr excise revenue

Bangalore, Sep 19: United Breweries Group Chairman Vijay Mallya today said the Centre and various State Governments fill their kitty to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore through revenue from excise duty.

The Group alone pumped in around Rs 15,000 crore, he said at the company Annual General Meeting and wanted to know from the State Governments on how the amount was spent on development of people and infrastructure. In some States, excise was the largest contributor to revenue, after sales tax, as the industry was the heavily taxed one in the country.

Mr Mallya's comments were in response to a query from one of the shareholders, who wanted to know the contribution of UB to projects relating to corporate social responsibility.

He said UB as a group made contributions to various social projects. However, a sizeable turnover of the liquor companies in India went to the Government treasury as taxes.

UNI