GUWAHATI: Assam’s latest amendment to the excise rules may have created a new revenue stream for the government, but it has also opened a serious public health debate.
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The state government has amended the Assam Excise Rules to create a structured framework for "Assam Made Liquor" (AML), permitting potable liquor to be manufactured using Rectified Spirit (RS). While officials are expected to project the move as an industrial reform aimed at encouraging local production and boosting excise collections, critics say the decision carries risks that Assam cannot afford to ignore.
At the heart of the controversy is rectified spirit — highly concentrated alcohol that has long been associated with some of India's deadliest liquor tragedies when diverted, adulterated or improperly processed.
The amendment itself may be legally sound and technically compliant. Yet public health experts, former excise officials and consumer rights groups are asking a larger question: Why is Assam encouraging greater production of low-cost spirit-based alcohol at a time when the state is already battling alcoholism, substance abuse and growing health burdens?
The answer, many believe, lies in revenue.
Excise collections have become one of the most lucrative sources of income for state governments across India. Assam is no exception. As governments search for additional revenue without increasing direct taxes, liquor remains one of the easiest sectors to expand.
But critics warn that the pursuit of revenue has often come at a heavy human cost.
Rectified spirit is not inherently unsafe. It is essentially highly purified ethanol with an alcohol content of around 95 per cent. Across India, it is used for industrial purposes, pharmaceuticals and liquor manufacturing. When properly diluted, filtered and processed according to prescribed standards, it can be converted into consumable alcohol.
The problem begins when regulation fails.
Unlike traditionally distilled liquor, rectified spirit moves through multiple stages of storage, transportation, dilution and blending before reaching consumers. Every stage creates opportunities for diversion, contamination or adulteration.
Former excise officials say this is where the danger lies.
"Rectified spirit itself is not poison. The risk emerges when monitoring weakens," said a retired excise administrator. "Every major hooch tragedy in India has exposed failures in regulation, supervision or enforcement."
India's recent history offers chilling reminders.
In June 2024, more than 60 people died in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district after consuming illicit liquor allegedly mixed with methanol. The deaths shocked the country and exposed serious weaknesses in the state's monitoring mechanisms.
Two years earlier, Gujarat witnessed another liquor disaster in Botad district where more than 40 people lost their lives after consuming toxic alcohol.
Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka have all recorded mass casualties from spurious liquor over the past decade.
The common thread running through many of these tragedies was the diversion of industrial alcohol or spirit into the illicit liquor market.
Investigators repeatedly found that substances meant for legitimate industrial or manufacturing purposes had entered illegal supply chains.
Public health researchers say Assam should be studying these cases carefully before expanding spirit-based liquor production.
"The issue is not whether rectified spirit can be used safely. It can," said a researcher involved in alcohol policy studies. "The issue is whether the state has the capacity to monitor every litre from production to consumption."
That question assumes greater significance in Assam.
Despite regular enforcement drives, illegal liquor production remains a recurring challenge in several districts. Excise officials frequently report raids on illicit distillation units. Seizures of illegal alcohol continue year after year.
The concern among experts is that a larger spirit-based liquor industry could increase the burden on an already stretched regulatory apparatus.
Tracking spirit movement requires sophisticated monitoring systems, digital inventory management, laboratory testing and frequent inspections. Any weakness in the chain can have disastrous consequences.
Several former officials argue that Assam must introduce stringent safeguards if it intends to proceed with the new framework.
These include real-time tracking of spirit consignments, mandatory laboratory certification, independent quality audits, tamper-proof transportation mechanisms and stronger penalties for diversion.
Without such measures, they warn, the state could be inviting trouble.
The debate also extends beyond safety.
Critics question the social implications of encouraging greater availability of cheaper liquor.
Industry insiders acknowledge that rectified spirit-based products are generally less expensive to manufacture than many traditionally produced alcoholic beverages. Lower production costs can translate into lower retail prices and wider accessibility.
Public health advocates fear that this could increase consumption among economically vulnerable sections of society.
Assam already faces significant challenges related to alcohol abuse. Doctors point to growing cases of alcohol-related liver disease, addiction and domestic violence linked to excessive drinking.
"Revenue generation should not become the sole objective of alcohol policy," said a senior physician in Guwahati. "The government must also account for the health costs, social costs and economic losses associated with alcohol abuse."
Consumer rights activists share similar concerns.
They argue that governments often highlight excise earnings while overlooking the hidden costs borne by families, healthcare systems and communities.
"The state earns revenue from liquor sales, but who calculates the cost of addiction treatment, accidents, lost productivity and broken families?" asked one activist.
Supporters of the amendment, however, maintain that the fears may be overstated.
Industry representatives argue that rectified spirit-based liquor is already manufactured legally in many parts of India. They insist that modern production technologies and regulatory standards can ensure consumer safety.
Some also contend that affordable legal liquor may reduce the demand for illicit alcohol.
Yet critics point out that several states have experienced growth in both legal liquor sales and illegal alcohol networks simultaneously.
That is why the central issue remains regulation.
Assam's new excise framework may ultimately prove successful. The state may attract investment, expand manufacturing and increase revenue without compromising safety.
But history suggests caution.
From Gujarat to Tamil Nadu, liquor tragedies have repeatedly demonstrated that failures in monitoring can transform a regulatory decision into a public health disaster.
The amendment may have been notified quietly, but its implications are significant.
As Assam moves towards a new era of spirit-based liquor production, the government faces a responsibility that extends far beyond revenue collection.
The challenge is not merely to manufacture more alcohol.
The challenge is to ensure that the pursuit of revenue never comes at the expense of public safety.
Because when regulation fails, it is not the treasury that pays the price. It is ordinary citizens.