Odisha Excise Deptt bags Digital India Gold Award for e-Abkari initiative

Bhubaneswar: The Excise Department of Odisha Government bagged the Digital India Gold Award for ease of doing business through e-Abkari portal.

President Droupadi Murmu conferred the prestigious award to Excise Department for its digital initiatives.

Sushil Kumar Lohani, Principal Secretary of PR Department and former Principal Secretary of Excise Department; Odisha Excise Commissioner Ashish Kumar Singh; Addl. Commissioner of Excise Rama Chandra Palata; Addl. Secretary of Excise Department Saidutta Biplab Keshari Pradhan and Nihar Ranjan Biswal, Senior Technical Director, NIC, Bhubaneswar, received the award from President Murmu at a special ceremony held at Bigyan Bhawan on Saturday in New Delhi.

Under 5T initiatives of Odisha, the Excise Department has switched over to the digital work place ‘eAbkari’. With the technical support of the NIC since 2019-20, the department has developed and implemented more than 30 online modules like e-Lottery, Instant issue and renewal of excise linceses, brand label registrations with 100% online payment, DPR, CCIS, SIR and mobile application development for tracking or raid spots and excise shops bringing transparent, hassles free, real time, seamless and timely service delivery eliminating physical touch points, reducing discretion and providing faceless service at door steps.

This has led to proper monitoring and strengthening of enforcement activities, curbing of illicit and spurious liquor, timely service delivery at different levels, proper supply chain management with regulation of production and manufacture and above all, change of public perception and transformation in the Department, a release stated today.

Last year, total 45,541 excise cases have been detected in Odisha till December against 29,038 recorded till December 2021 with an increase of 56%. Further, 1,310 cases have been detected under NDPS Act till December 2022 against 575 cases in 2021 during the same period with an increase of 127%. Similarly, till December Rs 6197.54 crores have been collected including VAT against that of Rs 5023.92 crores in 2021 with an increase of 23%.

This year record 45541 number of cases have been detected till December against that of 29038 in the last year till December with an increase of 56%. Further, 1310 cases have been detected under NDPS Act this year till December against 575 cases in the last year during the same period with an increase of 127%.Similarly, this year till December 6197.54 Crores have been collected including VAT against that of 5023.92 Crores last year with an increase of 23%.

The Department has made a lot of efforts to implement 5T initiatives for transparency in all aspects including use of technology.