Lucknow, Jan. 9 -- It's three cheers all the way for liquor consumers and the excise department in Uttar Pradesh. The key to their 'happy' days lies in the numbers.

Figure this out. As the sale of liquor in Uttar Pradesh has gone up, the excise department's contribution to the state exchequer has also increased significantly in the last few years.

From a mere Rs.23,000 crore in 2018-19 to a whopping Rs.63,000 crore target in 2025-26 of which Rs.49,000 crore has been achieved so far, the department's contribution to the state coffers has witnessed a meteoric rise, according to official data. And a target of around Rs.68,000 crore is being considered for the upcoming financial year 2026-27.

Simultaneously, the sale of liquor in Uttar Pra...