Bhubaneswar: Odisha government on Thursday revised the special COVID fee which it had earlier levied on the MRP of alcoholic beverages. As per a notification of the Excise department, the special COVID Fee on FMFL, IMFL, Beer, Wine has been reduced to 15%.
“A revision in special COVID fee is being done in such a manner that MRP of various FMFL, IMFL, Beer, Wine, RTD brands is hiked in the range of around 15 % over the prevailing MRP of 2019-20 for most of the products, instead of present hike of 50 %, (sic)” the release read.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Odisha government had imposed the special COVID fee on alcoholic beverages in the month of May over and above the tax rates of 2020-21.
The imposition of COVID fee had resulted in an increase of MRP by approximately 50%. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, Odisha government had allowed ON/OFF shop licencees to start home delivery of liquor from May 24 to prevent crowding in front of shops. The counter sale of liquor was allowed from July 1, 2020.
Odisha government has collected Rs 200 crore in terms of COVID Fee from the sale of liquor in the State.
(Edited By Bikram Keshari Jena)
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