New Delhi: The Delhi government has initiated the process of overhauling its excise and electric vehicle policies by forming two high-level committees aimed at ensuring transparency, social responsibility, and public welfare.
A new committee, headed by Cabinet Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, has been tasked with designing a revised excise policy that promotes responsible alcohol distribution, enhances revenue, and includes robust checks against illegal practices. The decision comes as Delhi continues to function under an extended version of the old excise framework, awaiting a fresh and comprehensive approach.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta emphasised that the revamped excise policy will prioritise digitisation of sales, scientific quality checks of alcoholic beverages, streamlined licensing mechanisms, and stronger enforcement. The committee will analyse existing and previous policies of Delhi, take into account excise models from other states, and consult with industry stakeholders before submitting its final proposal for Cabinet approval.
A parallel exercise is underway to draft a future-oriented Electric Vehicle (EV) policy. This initiative is being led by Cabinet Minister Ashish Sood and aims to make Delhi a leader in clean mobility. The committee is expected to focus on expanding EV infrastructure, offering user-friendly incentives, and encouraging eco-friendly transportation to reduce pollution in the capital.
In addition, a third review body under the leadership of Chief Secretary Dharmendra Kumar has already begun analysing the excise frameworks of other states to identify best practices. This multi-pronged approach signals the government’s intent to put in place a carefully considered, transparent policy that avoids previous pitfalls. The Excise Department has been instructed to extend all necessary support to the committee for research and logistics.
Delhi’s new committees aim to fix issues in the scrapped 2021 excise policy, which allegedly caused Rs 2,000 crore losses. A pending CAG report is expected to confirm irregularities.