ended up drinking liquor worth Rs 19.39 crores in 2009-10 as the consumption jumped from 958339 bottles to 1622632. This is insignificant for a place that played host to a million tourists in 2011, so far.
But it is also a fact that liquor does contribute to the public kitty. The contribution is huge. It was contributing Rs 31.05 crores to the public kitty in 1990-91. But now, it is paying state Rs 358.22 crores (2010-11). The yearly increase is huge. It was Rs 271.72crores in 2008-09 and Rs 303.70 crores in 2009-10.
But Kashmir is not contributing anything. In 2009-10, official sources told Kashmir Life, the excise department Rs 1.64 crores of excise duty from the sale of liquor from civilian shops and Rs 23.70 crores from the army canteens alone. Kashmir pays less because it drinks little. Do not fight.
