VIJAYAWADA: Liquor sales crossed a record Rs 100 crore in AP on the New Year’s Eve on Thursday. With tipplers making a beeline at liquor shops throughout the day, the State recorded the single day. Though the State government didn’t enhance the timings of liquor shops on New Year’s Eve unlike some other States, there was a remarkable increase in sale of liquor.
AP State Beverages Corporation Limited (APSBCL) managing director D Vasudeva Reddy told TNIE that the sale of liquor on New Year’s Eve was to the tune of Rs 114 crore—liquor worth Rs 98.40 crore worth was sold in government liquor shops and the remaining in bars. On an average, liquor between Rs 55 crore and Rs 65 crore is sold per day in the State. Sale goes up to Rs 70 crore in weekends in liquor shops and bars.
Stating that there is no change in business hours of retail liquor outlets and bars and restaurants in the State, he said there were instances of some liquor outlets shutting before closure time due to a variety of reasons. In Krishna district alone, liquor worth Rs 12.11 crore was sold in the government liquor shops on the New Year’s Eve.
The amount would have been more if liquor sold in bars was also included. According to officials, the average sale in the district is more or less Rs 7 crore. But it has doubled on New Year’s Eve. What is interesting is that the walk-in shops (Elite Shops) in Vijayawada—on MG Road and Alankar Centre—made a whopping Rs 53 lakh business.