Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 1: Jammu and Kashmir has registered an increase of 5.4 per cent in liquor consumption last fiscal compared to 2014-15 and the revenue earned by the State Government rose by over Rs 20 per cent during the corresponding period.
Over 5.75 crore bottles of Indian Manufactured Foreign Liquor, Whiskey and Beer were sold during the last financial year compared to 5.46 crore bottles during the financial year 2014-15.
These figures were given to the State Assembly by Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu in response to a question by BJP MLA Sat Paul Sharma.
The State Government earned a revenue of Rs 77.79 crore on account of excise duty on the sale of liquor during the last fiscal which was 20.6 per cent higher than the Rs 61.78 crore earned in 2014-15.
Jammu city counted for more than 45 per cent liquor consumption last year and over 2.60 crore bottles of various kinds of liquor were consumed in the city. Incidentally, Jammu city had same percentage in liquor of consumption of the State a year earlier as well. However, liquor consumption in Kashmir valley has shot up by over 25 per cent last year compared to 2014-15.
While 29 lakh bottles of liquor were consumed in FY 2015-16, the figure for FY 2014-15 was 22.80 lakh. The State’s revenue from sale of liquor rose from Rs 3.38 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 5.27 crore during last year.
Leh region of the State, which has a population of just over 1.5 lakh, has the highest per capita liquor consumption. More than 28 lakh bottles of liquor were consumed in this cold desert region of the State last year which was almost identical to figures of 2014-15.
There are 25 persons who have been granted license for liquor trade in J&K with majority of them from Jammu. However, only one liquor trader under a name- Kashmir Traders, Aluchibagh Srinagar- is in the list.
There are 18 wholesale liquor trade licences holders in J&K who are manufacturing it outside the State.
There are 162 licensed wine shops in J&K and majority of them are in Jammu with one in one in Leh and four in Srinagar (Super wines Batwara, Srinagar; J. L Kak wine shop Boulevard, Srinagar; Singh wine shop, Hotel Heemal, Boulevard road Srinagar). Plus 61 licensed wine shops operating under the directions of Court.
There are also 41 hotels with bar licence including The Lalit Grand Palace Hotel, Gupkar Road, Srinagar.
There are 8 Hotels with Bar and Banquet Licenses in J&K, 122 Bar and Restaurant license with one in Srinagar (Highlanders Bar and Restaurant Broadway Cinema Complex, Batwara, Srinagar), 21 bar restaurant with hotel license with 1 in Leh, one Bar with Banquet hall license ,6 bars with club licenses, 2 Bars with officers mess license.
There are 51 liquor licenses issued to women, with only one in Kashmir. Also there are 5 Hotel with bar license in favour of women, 1 Hotel with Bar and banquent hall license ,1 Bar and restaurant license,2 distilleries license,1 Brewery license and 1 bottling plant is also in favour of women.
The politicians who have liquor license include former MLA Prem Sagar Aziz, P Namgyal and Dhian Chand.
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