Noida Guzzled Liquor Worth Rs 1,652 Cr In 2022-23, Most Since Covid Pandemic

New Delhi: Residents of Gautam Buddh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh consumed liquor worth Rs 1,652 crore in fiscal year 2022-23, the highest revenue in a fiscal year since the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020, excise department officials said here. During the year, the excise department in Gautam Buddh Nagar, which includes Noida and Greater Noida, also launched a crackdown on illegal liquor, seizing over 50,000 litres of illicit alcohol and arresting 360 people. According to excise figures, the target for 2022-23 was Rs 1,828 crore, with a revenue of Rs 1,652 crore (90.37%) earned between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023. In 2021-22, revenue was Rs 1,346 crore, and in 2020-21, it was Rs 1,019 crore.

"During 2022-23, a total of 966 cases related to violations of the excise law, such as liquor trafficking, overrating by vendors etc., were lodged and 360 offenders arrested. Additionally, 51,434 litres of illicit liquor was seized by the department and 106 vehicles, including two-wheelers, impounded," District Excise Officer Rakesh Bahadur Singh told PTI.

Gautam Buddh Nagar, which shares its borders with Delhi and Haryana, has 535 licensed liquor shops across Noida and Greater Noida, Singh said.

The officer said the liquor sales were impacted due to the Covid outbreak in the first quarter of 2020, but picked up pace eventually, leading to a record revenue in the last fiscal.

"We have been able to achieve more than 90 per cent of our target of Rs 1,828 crore in revenue. We could have achieved the target but due to some policy issues in neighbouring Delhi, we fell slightly short of it," Singh added.

Earlier in March, liquor worth around Rs 14 crore was sold across Noida and Greater Noida in the two days ahead of Holi, after subdued sales since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the run-up to Holi last year, the revenue earned from liquor sales stood around Rs 11.5 crore, while liquor worth approximately Rs 9 crore was sold on December 30 and 31, they said.