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UT Excise Dept registers 35% surge in revenue, earns Rs 526 crore from liquor contracts so far

With 85 vends already sold, the administration is optimistic about crossing Rs 600 crore in total revenue — a near 50 per cent increase over last year’s earnings. This increase in revenue marks a sharp departure from the previous two years, where the growth had remained limited to just 6-7 per cent annually.

3 min readChandigarhUpdated: May 22, 2025 01:03 PM IST

The UT Excise and Taxation department secured Rs 526 crore from the auction of 85 liquor contracts, significantly increasing revenue from excise this year. (Express photo by Jasbir Malhi)

The UT Excise and Taxation Department has achieved 35% increase in revenue from liquor contracts this year, with Rs 526 crore from the auction of 85 vends so far — a significant rise compared to Rs 413 crore earned during the same period last year.

The jump comes after key policy changes introduced in the new excise policy, which officials say have helped drive the surge.

The department is in the process of auctioning 97 liquor contracts for the current fiscal.

With 85 vends already sold, the administration is optimistic about crossing Rs 600 crore in total revenue — a near 50 per cent increase over last year’s earnings.
This increase in revenue marks a sharp departure from the previous two years, where the growth had remained limited to just 6-7 per cent annually.

The excise department attributes this success to strategic changes in its policy framework, which included revised reserve prices, flexible payment terms, and streamlined auction processes to attract more bidders.

Only one out of 11 vend sold on Monday

Meanwhile, the department has faced challenges in the ongoing sixth round of e-auctions. In the latest round held on Monday, only one out of the 11 liquor vends up for auction managed to find a bidder. The vend, located in Industrial Area, Phase I, fetched Rs 4.50 crore against a reserve price of Rs 4.38 crore.

A mixed response was observed in previous rounds of auctions.

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On May 14, during the fifth round of e-auction, only six out of 17 vends were successfully auctioned, generating Rs 39.60 crore against a reserve price of Rs 24.32 crore. The highest bid came in at Rs 10.95 crore for the Sector 22-C market vend, followed by Rs 10.50 crore for the vend opposite the Sector 17 bus stand, and Rs 6.21 crore for the Sector 40-C vend.

Earlier, in the fourth round held on May 8, the department auctioned 11 of the 21 vends, collecting Rs 60.76 crore. In the third round on April 29, only 7 out of 28 vends were sold. On April 21, the department re-auctioned 48 vends — previously cancelled due to non-payment of guarantees — and sold 20, earning Rs 131 crore.
The initial auction held on March 21 had seen a high success rate with 96 out of 97 vends allotted, raising Rs 606 crore. However, 48 licences were later cancelled, and the department recovered Rs 23 crore by forfeiting earnest money and security deposits from defaulters.

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula). Professional Background Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases. Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region. Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns: 1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts "12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case" (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013. "‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old" (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case. "Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception" (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification. 2. Investigative & Scams "CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER" (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus. "Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh. 3. Environment & Public Safety "Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities. "Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police" (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos. 4. Gangster Culture & Crime "City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters" (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules. "Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell" (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26. Signature Style Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. ... Read More

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