High on spirits, Naidu govt removes hiccups in Andhra liquor flow
liquor vends, increase shop operation timings by three hours, introduce low-priced liquor at ₹99 or less, establish premium stores in 12 cities and encourage microbreweries to increase annual excise revenue by over ₹2,000 crore and streamline sales.
Andhra Pradesh Cabinet on Wednesday approved a new liquor policy, which would mean state government's exit from liquor sale and retail privatisation. The vends will be allotted to private players through a draw of lots.
The government has decided to earmark 10% of vends for toddy tappers. The policy was finalised by a Cabinet sub-committee, which included ministers Kollu Ravindra, A Satya Kumar, Nadendla Manohar and Kondapalli Srinivas.
The panel also studied the excise policy of neighbouring Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Rajasthan and UP. The move comes after chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu presented a white paper on excise policy in July, alleging that the «flawed» policy of the YSRCP government had edged out Indian-Made Foreign Liquor brands, encouraged bootlegging and increased alcoholism.
Speaking to ET, Andhra Pradesh principal secretary (excise) Mukesh Meena said, «Data collected shows there was a multifold increase in illicit liquor — about 1.7 crore litres of illicit liquor was seized over the last five years. A special programme was launched in nine affected districts to make them illicit liquor free. This is a step towards providing safe liquor to people habituated to it.»
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