Celebratory spirit ignites with record sales, despite dry day restrictions on Diwali

Delhi has set the festive season aglow with a remarkable surge in liquor sales, amassing over ₹447.62 crore in a mere 15 days. From October 15 to October 30, the capital witnessed the sale of an astonishing 3.87 crore bottles, a testament to the city’s vibrant celebratory spirit. Among these, 2.98 crore bottles were Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), alongside 89.48 lakh bottles of beer, generating significant revenue for the excise department during this festive period.

As the city prepared for Diwali, revellers stocked up ahead of the designated ‘dry day’ on October 31, when liquor sales were prohibited. On the eve of Diwali, party-goers purchased an impressive 33.80 lakh bottles, contributing ₹61.56 crore to the revenue on that single day alone. This surge in sales not only highlights the festive cheer but also underscores the significant economic impact of the liquor industry on Delhi’s revenue streams.

In a broader context, the revenue collected from liquor sales in the financial year from April to October reached ₹3,047 crore, marking a significant increase from ₹2,849 crore during the same period last year. When including Value Added Tax (VAT), the total revenue climbed to ₹4,495 crore, up from ₹4,188 crore the previous year. This impressive rise in figures reflects the city’s bustling market dynamics and the importance of festivities in driving sales.

Moreover, it is important to note that these figures do not encompass the sales from over 900 hotels, clubs, and restaurants across the city, suggesting that the true impact of the festive season on the liquor market could be even more substantial. As Delhi revels in the celebrations, the flourishing liquor sales serve as a robust indicator of the city’s economic vitality and its deep-rooted cultural practices during this joyous time