Bhubaneswar: As the financial year 2024-25 came to an end today, the State government is all set to come out with a new Excise Policy within the next 15 days, said Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan.
Speaking to media persons, Shri Harichandan said that the new Excise Policy is now in its final stage of preparation and efforts are on to unveil it as soon as possible.
In order to ensure smooth regulation in the excise sector, the existing Excise Policy has been extended for a month and it will continue to be in force till the end of April, he said.
The updated excise policy is expected to prioritize transparency and operational efficiency, aligning with the government’s ongoing efforts to streamline regulations. With its approval pending from the Chief Minister, the new framework promises to reshape the state’s approach to excise management in the coming months, the Minister said.
The revised guidelines are expected to introduce crucial changes aimed at strengthening the regulatory framework and addressing concerns related to the excise sector.
After coming to power, the BJP government, in August last year, brought its first Excise Policy banning dance in the bars. However, musical performance and orchestra were allowed in licensed liquor shops in the State.
The State Government has collected over Rs 7567 crore during the current financial year (till March 20) against the target of Rs 8680 crore.
Excise has emerged as one of the major revenue generation source for the State government. The state has collected a total of Rs 49,857.47 crore over the past 10 years, spanning from FY 2014-15 to FY 2024-25.