With liquor sale resumed, Maha earns revenue of Rs 100 cr-plus

Maharashtra government collected more than Rs 100 crore in taxes in three days after liquor shops in state were allowed to reopen, excise minister Dilip Walse Patil said on Wednesday.

Sale of liquor was allowed in parts of state as lockdown to contain coronavirus entered its third phase on Monday.

excise department collected more than Rs 100 crore by Wednesday night with just one third of total number of liquor shops in state remaining open, minister said.

An estimated 16.10 lakh litres of bottled IMFL (Indian-Me Foreign Liquor), beer, wine and country liquor were sold on Tuesday.

trend continued despite Mumbai municipal commissioners decision to suspend sale of liquor in state capital.

re are over 10,000 licensed shops in Maharashtra selling country liquor, IMFL, wine and beer, of which merely 2,967 operated on Wednesday, Patil said.

Unlike Tuesday, re were incidents of police resorting to lathi charge or buyers violating social distancing rms on Wednesday, said an official.

Liquor shops were closed for almost 40 days due to lockdown to curb coronavirus outbreak.

lockdown has been extended till May 17, but standalone liquor shops were permitted to operate as part of relaxations granted by state government.

29 lakh litres of liquor were sold in first three days after shops reopened, official ded.