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Increase in liquor licences last year despite
View(s):Mathata ThithaThe Excise Department issued 83 new liquor licences last year and obtained Rs. 69,123 million as excise revenue despite a Government initiated programme to control the consumption of liquor and cigarettes. The Department said the issue of new liquor licences last year was limited to institutions approved by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. The number issued last year is 20 more than the licences issued in 2013, according to the department’s performance report submitted to Parliament.
The licences continued to be issued despite the much publicised “Mathata Thitha” programme initiated by the previous regime.
The new Government has initiated a similar programme to discourage alcohol and tobacco consumption and said it would review all liquor licences already issued.
Last year had seen a marginal decrease in the manufacture of hard liquor compared to 2013, but there has been an increase of 3.5% in the manufacture of malt liquor, the report said. It also said five leading distilleries owed tax arrears of more than Rs. 1,451 million to the Excise Department and they had still not paid it.