Andhra Pradesh New Liquor Policy: After the implementation of the new excise policy in Andhra Pradesh, consumers will now be able to buy liquor at cheaper rates. According to the report, under this policy, consumers will be able to buy 180 ml liquor of any brand for Rs 99.
The state government is expected to get a revenue of Rs 5,500 crore from this decision. There is an atmosphere of excitement among the liquor lovers of the state after this decision. The Andhra Pradesh government has implemented the new liquor policy from October 16. It aims to bridge the growing revenue gap with Telangana and raise funds for welfare schemes promised by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
Officials hope that this policy will bring Rs 30,000 crore to the government treasury every year. While about Rs 20,000 crore is expected to be received in the remaining time of the current financial year. Let us tell you that the revenue increase is important as it will help Naidu’s welfare programs. Apart from this, it will also help the state to compensate for the financial losses incurred due to previous efforts to control the sale of liquor.
What is the purpose of the decision?
In fact, since the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, the state has struggled to match Telangana’s liquor revenues. The gap has now widened, from Rs 4,186 crore between 2014 and 2019 to Rs 42,762 crore by 2024. Officials argue that efforts by the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government to reduce alcohol consumption through state control were ineffective.
This approach not only resulted in loss of revenue but also increased illegal trade. An excise official said that if the policies from 2014 to 2019 had continued, they could have generated an additional revenue of Rs 18,860 crore.
The official said that 1.78 crore liters of illegal liquor has been seized in the state in recent years. This is why the government is now planning to introduce cheaper legal alternatives. This includes introducing cheap liquor priced at Rs 99 for a quarter bottle.
Premium brands now available in stores
Premium liquor brands will now also be available at shops in Andhra Pradesh. After the new liquor policy came into effect in the state from October 16, premium international whiskey brands of popular liquor companies including Diageo are now visible at the shops. An official told PTI that keeping in mind the new liquor policy, a new computer-based model will determine the brands to be sent to retail stores. The model will collect data related to market demand and supply will be made accordingly.
The official said that the brand which sells more will be purchased more. However, every registered liquor brand will be given a chance to sell its products. After scrapping the old liquor policy, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by N Chandrababu Naidu has implemented a new liquor policy.
Elaborating on the model, the official said that initially the liquor brand will be allowed to supply 10,000 cases in the market. After this, the market driven model will be implemented. Based on the sale of liquor in the last three months, the brand will be allowed to sell 150 percent of that quantity.
The official said that with the implementation of the new liquor policy, all domestic and international liquor brands have started arriving in Andhra Pradesh. The unavailability of popular liquor brands and their high cost were the allegations levelled against the previous YSRCP government in the state.
Excise Minister K Ravindra said that between 2019 and 2024, consumers were deprived of the option to choose the brand of their choice. He said they were forced to buy only the available brands. He stressed that the government was giving importance to making quality brands available in the state.
