Have requested embassies to promote Goa's traditional liquor 'feni' in their countries, says CM Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday told the Legislative Assembly that he has written to the diplomatic missions of some countries in India, requesting them to popularise and import feni, an alcoholic beverage locally prepared from cashew apples or coconut, in their native countries.Presenting the state Budget for fiscal 2023-24, Sawant said he has also requested the Indian states to recognise Goan feni as a country liquor in their state excise policies.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday told the Legislative Assembly that he has written to the diplomatic missions of some countries in India, requesting them to popularise and import 'feni', an alcoholic beverage locally prepared from cashew apples or coconut, in their native countries.

Presenting the state Budget for fiscal 2023-24, Sawant said he has also requested the Indian states to recognise Goan feni as a country liquor in their state excise policies. Feni is a traditional liquor distilled from the fermented juice of cashew apples or coconut. ''Speaker Sir, in order to promote the heritage drink 'feni', I have written to the embassies of some foreign countries with a request to popularise and import feni in their countries,'' the chief minister said in his budget speech.

''Further, we have requested the other Indian states to recognise 'Goan feni' as a country liquor in their state excise policies, so that the levy of excise duty in their states will be at par with the country liquor and not IMFL (India Made Foreign Liquor),'' he added.

Sawant said that to promote the sale of high-end foreign liquor in the state, he proposes to reduce the excise duty on high-end liquor and marginally increase the duty on other categories of IMFL to shore up revenues.

In yet another announcement, the chief minister said that the budget 2023-24 proposes a 'Green Cess' for non-Goan vehicles entering the state to support the upkeep, cleanliness, sanitation, medical support, changing rooms, electric charging stations, energy conservation measures and remedial measures to minimise pollution in the tourist state.

In order to plug the revenue leakage, a Special Task Force (STF) comprising officials of various departments will be formed to ensure that no businesses in the state are running without registration, he added. The Goa government on Wednesday presented its budget for 2023-24 proposing to allocate funds to promote tourism in the coastal state, including hinterlands, improve education through reforms and resume mining to shore up revenue. CM Sawant tabled in the Assembly the budget with a total outlay of Rs 26,844 crore, an increase of 9.71 per cent over the estimates for the financial year 2022-23.