Binge geography: Different Indian states, different alcohol consumption and taxes
Indians love a drink, but different states have different drinking habits. Not just the drinking habits of the inhabitants of different states, but how the government manages liquor taxes in different states also varies.
New Delhi: There are different taxes levied by states and Union Territories in the country on alcohol and the differences can be quite startling. Reportedly sourced by news publication Finshots from excise duty reports of sales, some surprising disparities are present in the distribution of excise duty, VAT and state- specific alcohol surcharges.
North to South, story of varying taxes
The most highly taxed states remain in the South of India. Andhra Pradesh with around 60 per cent combined tax (400–2500 per case). Tamil Nadu 58 per cent, Kerala 52.50 per cent, Karnataka 52.80 per cent and Puducherry 20 per cent. For Telanagan, it stood at around 70 per cent.
In the North, a state with excessively high taxation was Uttar Pradesh, which saw a taxation of 69 per cent. Jharkhand with a VAT of 75 per cent is also another one from the North making it big in the list.
In Central India, Madhya Pradesh with a 40 to 70 per cent range, and Maharashtra with 45 per cent, are average numbers on the list. As are Punjab with 35 per cent and Ladakh with 30-45 per cent.
Others are states where taxation on alcohol is comparatively lower. Uttarakhand in the North is one among such states, with 32.5 per cent VAT. Delhi has 25 per cent, as does Sikkim in the North east. Odisha is also low, with a 20 per cent statistic.
Speaking particularly of the North East, Nagaland has alcohol banned. Manipur puts 20 per cent VAT and Tripura 35 per cent VAT. Meghalaya has 30 per cent taxation, while Arunachal Pradesh has 15 per cent.
To round up, West Bengal has taxation of 50 per cent, while Gujarat and Bihar are two other states where alcohol is banned. Overall, the map shows significant variation in alcohol taxation across India, something which has been questioned at various instances that should not be so. Southern states like Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala have among the highest taxes, while western states such as Goa and Rajasthan remain at the lower end.