The excise department in Rajasthan has initiated a month-long special drive throughout June to recover approximately Rs 2,000 crore in pending revenue dues. Officials have been directed to take stringent action against defaulters, including attachment and auction of movable and immovable properties.
Outstanding Dues Accumulated Since Covid
According to departmental figures, outstanding excise revenue stood at around Rs 2,000 crore as of March 31, 2026. These dues have largely accumulated since the Covid-19 pandemic period, with recovery efforts in recent years yielding negligible results.
A senior official stated, “Additional excise commissioners and district excise officers across the state are directed to intensify recovery efforts between June 1 and June 30.”
Recovery Plan and Actions
Under the recovery plan, excise inspectors and district officials have been instructed to personally contact defaulters and persuade them to clear their outstanding dues. If payments are not made, authorities will proceed with the attachment and auction of properties.
“Information regarding assets and vehicles owned by defaulters has already been sourced through various agencies and shared with field officers,” the official added.
Officials have been asked to obtain details of assets from revenue authorities, transport departments, urban local bodies, municipal corporations, municipal councils, and banks wherever necessary. Auction dates for attached properties will be widely publicised, including through announcements on loudspeakers in concerned localities, to encourage defaulters to settle dues before coercive action is taken.
Background of Dues
The dues are largely linked to the liquor shop auction system introduced in 2021-22, when online auctions replaced the lottery process. Several contractors who placed aggressive bids subsequently failed to meet guarantee obligations, leaving substantial amounts unpaid.
The commissioner has also ordered closer monitoring of court cases involving recovery stays and directed officers to pursue early hearings. In cases involving fake solvency certificates, bids without names, or forged documents, FIRs will be lodged.
“Officials failing to act on recovery targets could face disciplinary proceedings under Rajasthan Civil Services Rules,” an official warned.
