Alcohol will cost around 15% more in Haryana from April 1. The price rise is the result of the state government’s decision to increase the minimum retail price, excise duty and value-added tax on the sale of liquor. The government announced the new excise policy for 2017-2018 on Sunday, reported Hindustan Times.

The increase in taxes will add Rs 500 crore to Rs 700 crore to the state’s earnings. “I will give details of additional revenue in my budget tomorrow,” said Haryana Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu. The changes will affect the prices of country liquor, Indian-made foreign liquor, foreign liquor and low alcohol content beverages.

The state minister said around 500 liquor shops will be shifted away from state and national highways in compliance with a Supreme Court order, reported The Indian Express. Moreover, the government will not allow new vends to come up in the 185 villages that submitted resolutions to the effect. The number of shops for country liquor and Indian-made foreign liquor in the state will remain 3,500 – the same as last year.