The Telangana government's draft liquor policy proposes to increase the number of liquor licences from the existing 2,200 to 3,000. The decision is in tandem with the government proposal to reintroduce sale of arrack as an alternative affordable liquor'. The government expects a lot of demand for arrack and would need additional licenced outlets to meet it.
"Increasing the number of licenced shops that will also sell alternative affordable liquor will help curb sale of illicitly distilled (ID) and non-duty paid (NDP) liquor," a senior official in the excise department said. Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was impressed with the draft liquor policy, which is likely to be approved after a review sometime next week, the official added.
On Saturday, principal secretary, revenue, Ajay Misra, reviewed the draft policy at a meeting attended by excise commissioner R V Chandravadan and excise deputy commissioners. As per the initial estimates, the increase in liquor shops will help ramp up the excise revenue at least by Rs 2,000 crore and help reach the excise department its revenue target of Rs 11,000 crore this year.
