Himachal Budget 2023-24: Rs 10 milk cess imposed on every bottle of liquor

During his budget speech, the Chief Minister said that his government has introduced a new excise policy that will not only increase the state government's revenue but will also benefit cattle herders.

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh): The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh has decided to impose a Rs 10 milk cess on every bottle of liquor in its budget for the financial year of 2023-24 on Friday. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Sukhu in his first budget.

Presenting the budget in the State Assembly, the Chief Minister said that his government has introduced a new excise policy that will not only increase the state government's revenue but will also benefit cattle herders.

The Chief Minister's announcement is the outcome of Congress' pre-poll promise to increase the income of cattle rearers. The grand old party promised that if voted to power, it will instruct milk producers to buy cow milk at Rs 80 per liter and buffalo milk at Rs 100 per liter. " The revenue earned from the milk cess will be spent only on increasing the income of milk producers," the Chief Minister said. '

It is noteworthy that the previous BJP government had already imposed a 2.5 percent cow cess on every bottle of liquor, for the promotion of cows in the State and now with the imposition of Rs 10 milk cess the price of liquor is set to increase in Himachal Pradesh.

The Chief Minister said that by imposing a milk cess, the state government will earn Rs 100 crore every year which will be spent on the welfare schemes of cattle herders and milk producers.

During his budget speech the Chief Minister said that during his budget speech that previous governments used to renew liquor contracts with an increase of 10 percent, due to which the government got only 10 percent more revenue every year, but by auctioning the contracts, this figure reached 32 percent.

She further stated that the auction of contracts in Solan district was 32% higher than last year, 40% in Kullu, 66% in Kinnaur, 23% in Hamirpur, 36% in Kangra. Is. This auction is still going on in other districts including Shimla.

The Rs Rs 53,413 crore also had proposals to encourage the use of electric vehicles in the State. The Chief Minister announced that as many as 1,500 diesel buses of Himachal Road Transport Corporation will be replaced by electric buses in phases at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore adding that a 50 per cent subsidy will be provided to youth for setting up charging points.