Liquor Sales and Consumption - Inputs on Solutions

Dear Friends:

Below are the Key Root Causes as shared by you on the subject of Liquor Sales and Consumption.

Please review them and help identify specific implementable Solutions that can help address these issues.

A whitepaper on the subject will be submitted to Ministry of Finance, Consumer Affairs and any other Government stakeholders who can take necessary actions.

Thanks for your participation!
Rajendra Pratap Gupta

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Liquor Sales and Consumption - Key Root Causes

1. Shop keepers overlook Government regulations on sale of liquor
2. Sellers only care about selling more and nothing else
3. They don’t ask buyers for their age proof
4. Policemen take bribes and allow liquor sellers to break rules
5. The excise inspectors accept bribes to let go of chalans
6. Corrupt nexus between shopkeepers and police, distributors, distillers and excise department
7. Liquor is one of the biggest revenue generating arm for state Government and hence they ignore the working of ‘liquor mafia’
8. Liquor Mafia is also a source of political funding and hence most political parties aren’t keen to take action
9. Liquor Mafia is also a key root cause for crime. 50% crime in a city can be attributed to it.
10. Some state taxes on liquor are lower than the others which leads to smuggling
11. Liquor shops and very often visited by anti-social elements who create a bad impact on the surrounding residents
12. Movies portray liquor as a glamorous thing
13. Liquor slows down the human response systems which leads to fatal accidents
14. Liquor ban in past has usually resulted in a lot of black money, and huge tax losses for the Government
15. There is lack of effective enforcement in states
16. Heavy penalties on liquor crimes are missing
17. Lack of transparency in the tax and other excise duties
18. Lack of general awareness among people

Liquor Sales and Consumption - Key Issues

1. Minors can buy liquor very easily
2. Liquor is sold illegally in some shops without license
3. Some shops sell liquor even after the stipulated time duration of 10pm everyday
4. Liquor is available even on dry days by paying a premium
5. Lot of corruption in the excise department
6. Massive tax evasion occurring under State Excise
7. Tax evasion money going into hands with anti-social and anti-national objectives
8. Liquor mafia control the excise department and also support funding of political parties
9. Shopkeepers are let off for excise violations by taking bribes
10. Liquor is smuggled across states
11. Liquor shops in residential areas create a bad atmosphere
12. Youngsters in their teens are getting addicted to liquor
13. A lot of accidents and deaths happen due to drunk driving
14. Consumption of liquor causes various diseases
15. Many fights happen due to excessive consumption of alcohol
16. Fake liquor causes many deaths