Yogi govt raises tax on liquor, petrol, diesel

Lucknow, May 6 (IANS) The Yogi Adityanath government has decided to increase the prices of liquor, petrol and diesel in the state in order to generate additional revenue.

Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna told reporters that the government will generate an additional Rs 2,350 crore through liquor and Rs 2,070 crore through the increase in the value added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel.

The revised rates will come into effect from midnight on Wednesday.

The minister said that petrol prices will increase by Rs two per litre while diesel prices will go up by Rs one per litre.

Petrol in the state will now cost Rs 73.91 per litre while diesel prices will be Rs 63.86 per litre.

The minister said that in the liquor category, the prices of 180 ml bottles are being increased by Rs 10 in the economy and medium category while the 500 ml pack will cost Rs 20 more in both the segments.

Those buying larger packs will pay Rs 30 per bottle.

In the regular and premium category of liquor, prices are being increased by Rs 20 for 180 ml pack, Rs 30 for 500 ml pack and Rs 50 for larger packs.

The prices of imported liquor, however, will be much higher with 180 ml pack costing an additional Rs 100, the 500 ml pack priced at an additional Rs 200 and the larger packs will be priced at an additional Rs 400 per bottle.

Suresh Khanna said that the liquor shops had been opened because the illicit liquor business had started in the state and it was important to prevent deaths due to spurious liquor.

He said that 80,020 litres of illicit liquor had been seized during the lockdown period and 499 outlets had been sealed. The number of those arrested was 3627, he added.

The liquor sale that opened on Monday saw huge crowds and the sales clocked a record Rs 100 crore on day one.

–IANS

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