New Delhi, July 15: The recent hot spell has proved to be a boon for liquor shops in the capital as beer consumption exceeded 13 lakh cases in June.
During the month, sale of beer touched 13,37,743 cases in the city as against 10,35,364 cases sold in the same period last year, an increase of about 30 per cent, according to data of the Excise department.
For the uninitiated, a case contains 20 bottles of beer. The revenue generated from the bumper sale will help the excise department in reaching its revenue target of Rs 3,000 crore for the current fiscal.
However, there has been a slump in beer sale after the arrival of monsoon in the city, said an official involved in revenue collection.
Besides beer, the sale of whiskey, rum, vodka and other liquor also registered increase in June as well.
The sale of hard liquor increased to 7.75 lakh cases in June as against 7.72 lakh cases for the corresponding period last year.
There are about 550 liquor shops and more than 400 hotels and restaurants in the city where liquor is available.
Last year, the revenue target was Rs 2,300 crore which was later revised to Rs 2,400 crore. The collection, however, exceeded target as the department earned Rs 2,500 crore from liquor sale.
“Our revenue collection from liquor sale was Rs 714 crore till July 11. Though this year target is on higher side, we are hopeful of achieving it,” the official said.
