Dehradun, April 4

Ex-servicemen have opposed the state government’s decision to impose 7 per cent excise duty on liquor in CSD canteens. They want the state government to roll back its decision which has made liquor costlier by 30 per cent in comparison with the adjoining states.Brig KG Behl (retd), patron of the Indian Ex-servicemen League, in a statement issued here, said it was unfortunate that instead of reducing the excise duty, an increase of 7 per cent had been announced.“The rate is hiked in such a way that rates of liquor go up in CSD canteens. Earlier, the rates of different varieties of liquor were displayed in the canteen bills after adding excise duty. But nowadays the CSD cost of liquor is shown intact and the excise duty reflects separately as tax to keep purchasers under the impression that liquor is being sold on a par with the adjoining states,” he said.He requested the Governor to look into the issue seriously and reduce the excise duty in CSD canteens in the state.—TNS