Delhiites splurge Rs 1,000 crore on alcohol last December, fighting off the cold.

Last December got Delhi serious drunk and brought in some good luck for the liquor industry as the Delhiites consumed alcohol worth 1,000 crores, suggested reports. The alcohol industry was experiencing drought during this financial year, but December proved out to be a boom as the festive season was round the clock and the Delhiites didn’t miss out on this catch.

However, the actual data on the number of bottles sold via vends, hotels, and bars are still in the process of compilation. “The amount figure (Rs 1,000 crore) is based on the revenue earned by the excise department as duty paid on alcohol bottles”, Times of India report citing a source said.

The excise department’s earning Rs 465 crore as duty on liquor in December 2019 showed a slight increase of 1% when compared with Rs 460 crore earned in December of 2018. Delhi has a network of 864 liquor vends and 951 hotels, bars and clubs having the liquor license.

Now, the major concern is what the upcoming budget has in store for the alcohol industry.

Delhi recorded the coldest December in over a century.

The main reason suspected as to the rise of alcohol consumption in the particular month is believed to be the excise department’s decision to lower the price of about 10 brands of foreign liquor by 20-25%.

An excise department official told reporters:

“The sale of these brands witnessed a surge of about three times after the prices were revised. Earlier, people used to buy foreign liquor from neighboring Haryana due to a price difference of Rs 800-1200 per bottle and smuggle it to Delhi. With reduced prices, the difference in the rate is not much which made Delhi customers buy these brands locally.”