Kolkata: Sale of liquor in almost one month after the off-shops were permitted to open outside containment zones in the state led to a revenue generation of Rs 500 crore. At the same time, the state Excise directorate has almost finalised allowing online food ordering and delivery platforms in ensuring home delivery of liquor from off-shop. The off-shops reopened in the state from May 4 after remaining close for around one and a half month time due to the nationwide lockdown to check the spread of COVID-19 and there was a record sale of Rs 75 crore in just three initial days after the shops reopened. According to a senior official of the state government, there was a revenue generation of around Rs 500 crore till date since May 4. Due to the lockdown there was a huge loss as no revenue generation took place through sale of liquor. The Excise revenue collection in the state was Rs 11,874 crore in the last financial year. The revenue generation of Rs 500 crore has taken place despite the hike in liquor price when the shops had reopened with the state government imposing 30 percent sales tax on the same. The official said that though the major part of the revenue generation had taken place due to the sale from counter of off-shops, the home delivery has also led to a generation of good portion of the revenue. A web-link and an app were introduced to place orders online for home delivery from off-shops and around 11,000 orders were placed in just two days time. But the system had to be put on hold for a couple of days till the successful delivery of the orders received. With delivery of the orders, the system of home delivery had again resumed. Now to further smoothen the mechanism of home delivery as all off-shops didnt have the requisite numbers of man-power for home delivery, the state Excise directorate is strongly considering the proposal of engaging online food ordering and delivery platforms for fast and timely delivery of the same at door steps.

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