The State government will contemplate imposing a cess on liquor, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac has said. He was speaking to reporters here on Monday. Dr. Isaac said the State cabinet would discuss the matter before the reopening of liquor outlets.
The Minister, however, said the government was not thinking about introducing fuel cess.
Dr. Isaac hinted that the government might have to go in for a fresh budget for 2020-21. “We will have to reset priorities considering the crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic. May is too early to make a budget. A decision regarding an alternative budget will be taken in June based on a report by a high-level committee. There is also a lot of uncertainties and we will wait for what the Central government is going to do,” he said.