Bhubaneswar: Odisha recorded a significant increase in alcohol sales during the 2023-24 fiscal year compared to the previous year, excise minister Prithviraj Harichandan informed the Odisha Legislative Assembly on Saturday.
Presenting the data in a written reply, the minister detailed liquor consumption across various categories, highlighting a noticeable surge in sales volumes.
According to the report, foreign liquor sales rose by approximately 5.41 lakh litres, climbing from 5.83 crore litres in 2022-23 to 5.88 crore litres in 2023-24. Beer sales experienced an even steeper rise, jumping from 12.9 crore litres in 2022-23 to 15.35 crore liters in 2023-24—an increase of approximately 3.26 crore liters.
Country liquor consumption also surged, with sales growing from 84.37 lakh litres in 2022-23 to 98.43 lakh litres in 2023-24.
These figures were recorded before the implementation of Odisha’s revised excise policy on September 1, 2024. The policy prohibits the opening of new FL ‘ON’ liquor shops in the current fiscal year and enforces stricter regulations on dance bars.
Despite tighter regulations, the state’s excise revenue witnessed a substantial boost, soaring from approximately Rs 6,455 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 7,217 crore in 2023-24, marking a significant financial gain for the state exchequer.
