India, Patna: The Bihar state government has hiked the import duty for beers coming from outside the state on March 10, according to The Times of India. The cabinet meeting decided to hike the import duty from Rs 12 per case (12 bottles) to Rs 39 per case. The cabinet secretary Vijay Prakash said that import duty for beer had been raised after about 14 years-1990. He said that the state government expected to earn additional revenue of about Rs 2.38 crore per year with this hike. "The hike would mean beer coming from outside the state would be costlier", remarked a state government official.

The cabinet secretary Vijay Prakash said that all the decisions of the cabinet were taken before the Lok Sabha elections were announced and there was no need for the approval of the Election Commission.

12 March, 2004