Our Correspondent
Kohima | March 23
Since the introduction of Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act (NLTP), 1989, revenue earning of the excise department has seen a drastic trim down, at least till the year 2012.However, from 2013 onwards, the revenue is seeing a gradual increase.
Comparatively, between 1987-88 and 1988-89 which is before the enforcement of the NLTP Act, the excise department earned revenues of Rs 584.37 lakhs and Rs 550.90 lakhs respectively.
After the introduction of the NLTP Act in 1989, the revenue of the excise department witnessed a radical downhill with earnings as low as Rs 82.32 lakh reported during 1990-01.
In subsequent years, the revenue hovered between Rs 100-200 lakhs at most, and at times crossing the Rs 300 lakhs mark.
However, during the financial year 2012-2013, the excise department reported revenue of Rs 400 lakh. In 2013-14, the revenue was Rs 451.16 lakh, Rs 408.52 lakhs during 2014-15 and Rs 416.92 lakhs from 2015 till January 2016, indicating the increase of the revenue.
Since the introduction of the NLTP Act, the only source of the excise revenue is from sale of liquor to defence personnel through Canteen Stores Depot and to Para Military Bonded Warehouse and fine amount realized from the excise violators, the report stated.
The Government has introduced Total Prohibition Act 1989 and the main function of the department underwent from regulatory role to enforcement, according to the annual administrative report 2015-16 of excise & prohibition department tabled in the recently concluded assembly session of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) here.
It pointed out that although there are only 335 enforcement personnel in the department; drastic improvement in the detection duties has been reported during the reporting period. The government has authorized the state excise department to use arms/ammunitions for effective enforcement of NDPS Acts 1985 and NLTP Act 1989, the report further stated.
