Maharashtra: Hologram on liquor bottles made mandatory to curb hooch flow

Mumbai, May 14: In a bid to check the flow of spurious liquor being smuggled into Maharashtra from other states, the government has decided to make it mandatory to have a hologram on every bottle of alcoholic beverage sold.

State Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse has set a revenue target of Rs 20,000 crore from excise duty on the sale of liquor in the state.

"Within the next one month, it will be mandatory for all liquor bottles to have a hologram stuck on it to ensure that spurious liquor flow into the state is stopped. Apart from loss of revenue, spurious liquor also causes health hazards, which needs to be checked," Khadse said.

"In the last year, revenue generated from the sale of liquor was Rs 11,400 crore, which is third highest across revenue generating departments. For the coming year, the target set excise duty collection from the sale of liquor is Rs 20,000 crore," he said on the occasion of the disbursement of new vehicles to department.

He added that to further strengthen the excise department, officials of the department have been provided with 44 new vehicles (for departmental purposes) and an additional 50 vehicles would be provided next year.

"To achieve our aim of generating Rs 20,000 crore from excise duty on liquor, officials will need to do a lot of hardwork. We have to ensure that illegitimate liquor flow is stopped and all vacant posts in the department are filled," Khadse said.

PTI