Alcohol consumption jumped 23% going by sales between 2021-22 and 2022-23 in the state, show excise department data. Senior officials said it was the biggest year-on-year rise over the past several decades despite a price rise.
The state reaped the benefit with a record Rs 21,550 crore excise haul, a huge revenue increase of almost 25%.
Beer and wine put on impressive shows (see box), thanks to a liberalised policy to push sale, said officials.
The revenue jump has been the most impressive in Nagpur, Aurangabad and Kolhapur regions, more than the traditional cash cows of Mumbai-Thane, Pune and Nashik regions. Nagpur revenue grew 42.9%, Aurangabad and Kolhapur have registered 29.7% and 28.5% more sales, respectively. Mumbai-Thane, Pune and Nashik have shown an annual increase of around 23% in excise revenue.