Govt mulls QR codes on liquor bottles

SHILLONG, Oct 1: The Meghalaya government plans to introduce QR code technology on liquor bottles sold in the state, with the goal of generating Rs 500 crore in revenue from liquor sales this financial year.
Cabinet Minister Kyrmen Shylla, speaking on Tuesday, stated that while the use of holograms has helped reduce revenue leakage, the government is still not fully satisfied. After reviewing the new technology, the decision was made to introduce QR codes on liquor bottles.
The state cabinet recently approved the Excise department’s proposal to implement a QR code-based tracking system for every bottle of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) sold in Meghalaya. “This will help us monitor and ensure there is no revenue leakage,” he said, adding that the file is currently being processed.
Shylla also mentioned that he has instructed the department to expedite the process. The cost of implementing QR code technology will be borne by buyers, not the government.  The government expects that the use of QR codes will reduce revenue leakage by 5% to 10%, with every bottle of liquor having a unique QR code.
Meanwhile, Shylla noted that the department’s revenue has increased in recent years, and they are aiming to generate more than Rs 500 crore in revenue this year.