Imported spirits to get cheaper in Bengal

Kolkata: This festive season, raising a toast with imported liquor will be an affordable affair in Bengal. With the new excise taxation system introduced by the state government, the price of high-end "bottled-in-origin (BIO)" or imported liquor is going to get cheaper by 10 to 15 per cent in the state from November 2.

Not just that, the new tax slabs also offers proportionate pricing of the Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) bottles. The smaller (180 ml) bottles will get cheaper by 20 to 25 per cent. The bigger ones, including the 750 ml bottles, will become equally dearer.

"Earlier the rate of tax used to be calculated based on maximum retail price (MRP). Interestingly, higher the MRP less used to be the rate of tax. As a result, 750 ml IMFL bottles used to be pocket friendly for a consumer than buying a 180 ml one. Now, proportionate duty will be imposed on EDP on bulk litre basis. As a result if a 180 ml will cost Rs 100, then one has to pay Rs 200 for a 375 ml while the price of a 750 ml bottle will be Rs 400. There are 22 slabs to impose tax on IMFL," said a senior official of the state Excise Directorate said.

Price of BIOs worth around Rs 6,200 will get reduced to around Rs 5,700. The very expensive ones that cost around Rs 28,000 would now be sold at Rs 15,000.

Retailers procuring liquor from warehouses of the state's sole liquor distributor, West Bengal State Beverages Corporation (Bevco), will follow the new rate slab. Now, the cost of imported liquor in Bengal will be at par with other states.

Besides the custom duty that goes to the Centre's exchequer, earlier the state government used to impose a 'pass fee' over the BIOs. Now, the state Excise Directorate is doing away with the system of imposing 'pass fee'. Henceforth, only a duty will be imposed on the ex-distillery price (EDP) of the same as per a slab that has been prepared by the Directorate. The 30 per cent tax that was imposed in April will no longer exist.

The state Excise Directorate is also mulling over introducing 200 ml country liquor pouch.