By Our Correspondent
CUTTACK/BHUBANESWAR: With able Excise Commissioner Ashish Kumar Singh taking the lead, record number of 61377 cases have been detected in the financial year 2022-23 against that of 40598 cases in the last year of 2021-22, showing an increase of 51% from that of 2021-22. In the year 2020-21 only 25065 cases were detected.
A Monthly Review meeting was held on Sunday under the Chairmanship of Ashish Kumar Singh, Excise Commissioner, Odisha through virtual mode wherein Rama Chandra Palata, Addl. Commissioner of Excise, Sarat Chandra Mohapatra, Joint Commissioners of Excise, Rama Chandra Mishra, EDC, Enforcement, Rajat Kumar Praharaj, EDC, Policy, Somanath Majhi, EDC, Establishment, Rajendra Bhotra, EDC, ND, Dambarudhara Khanda, EDC, SD and all Superintendents of Excise attended.
The annual review meeting was held to review collection of revenue, enforcement activities. The Excise Department have given top priority to enforcement activities for which the detection of cases and arrest of bootleggers have increased substantially in the financial year 2022-23.
In the financial year 2022-23 record number of 49211 persons have been arrested against 33551 persons in the last year of 2021-22, showing an increase of 47% from that of 2021-22. In the year 2020-21 only 19239 persons were arrested.
Record number of 1949 cases have been detected under NDPS Act in the financial year 2022-23 against that of 748 cases in the last year of 2021-22, showing an increase of 161% from that of 2021-22. In the year 2020-21 only 396 cases were detected under NDPS Act.
In the financial year 2022-23 record number of 2232 persons have been arrested under NDPS Act against 849 persons in the last year of 2021-22, showing an increase of 163% from that of 2021-22. In the year 2020-21 only 381 persons were arrested.
In the financial year 2022-23, record quantity of 32512 Grams of Heroin have been seized against 12567 Grams in the last year of 2021-22, showing an increase of 159% from that of 2021-22. In the year 2020-21 only 3654 Grams of Heroin was seized.
In the financial year 2022-23, record quantity of 41330 Kilograms of Ganja have been seized against 31566 Kilograms in the last year of 2021-22, showing an increase of 30% from that of 2021-22. In the year 2020-21 only 16962 Kilograms of Ganja was seized.
In tune with 5T initiatives of Government of Odisha, Excise Department has switched over to the digital workplace eAbkari with the technical support of NIC by developing and implementing about fifty online modules as on date bringing transparent, hassles free, timely service delivery.
In the financial year 2022-23 an amount of Rs. 8967.49 Crores towards excise revenue including VAT have been collected against Rs. 7622.41 Crores towards excise revenue and VAT last year of 2021-22 showing a growth of 17.65%. An amount of Rs. 5400.21 Crores was collected in the year 2020-21.
The Excise Commissioner also reviewed the data digitization, implementation of IT, non-settlement of shops, arrear revenue collection, compliance of petitions and instructed all Superintendents of Excise & EI EB Units to strengthen & enhance the enforcement measures for the year 2023-24 and to conduct frequent raids against the illegal manufacturing, distribution and sale of ID Liquor/ duplicate IMFL / Non-duty paid IMFL / NDPS items in the State.
Further, the Superintendent of Excise, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh and Sundargarh were directed to conduct sustained raids in Jharsuguda and adjacent areas on account of Bye-Election to Jharsuguda Assembly Constituency. The EDC, ND, Sambalpur was instructed to monitor the enforcement activities on daily basis.
