VIJAYAWADA: The process of awarding licences to applicants for 3,396 notified liquor stores through lottery system was conducted on Monday.
The Excise and Prohibition Department received a total of 89,882 applications for 3,396 shops across the State, generating a revenue of Rs 1,797.64 crore through the non-refundable application fees, explained Principal Secretary for Revenue (Excise) Mukesh Kumar Meena.
Subsequently, the State government will rake in Rs 2,084 crore as license fee annually from liquor outlets in six installments.
A sum of Rs 335 crore is expected to be received from all liquor licence holders by Tuesday as the collective first instalment, he added.
Approximately 48 per cent of the total applications were submitted online.
While the last date for submission of applications was October 11, verification was held on October 12 and 13.
Applicants were manually chosen through lottery on Monday. District Collectors and Excise Department officials drew the lotteries in the presence of applicants and issued licences immediately.
The selected candidates can start operating the liquor shops from October 15, kickstarting the new liquor policy in the State. The cash-strapped State is expected to generate Rs 20,000 crore revenue through licensing fee and sale of liquor in the current financial year.
Stating that an average of 26.47 applications were received for each of the 3,396 liquor shops, Meena pointed out that in the previous notification (2017-19), the average number of applications received each of the 4,377 shops was 18.
“Despite a drop in number of shops from 4,380 in 2015-17 to 3,396 in 2024-26, the total revenue has surged,” the bureaucrat noted.
He added that these figures highlight the success of policy measures that have enhanced the State’s revenues by attracting more applications.
Govt plans to bring new liquor brands into State
Speaking to mediapersons at the State Mineral Development Corporation office on Monday, Excise Minister Kollu Ravindra said the new liquor policy is being implemented in a very transparent manner.
Alleging that there were irregularities in the previous YSRC government’s liquor policy, he reiterated that utmost care was taken in implementing the new policy, leaving no scope for anomalies and ensuring there was no political interference in the entire exercise.
He warned of cancelling the licence of those who flout rules under the Excise and Prohibition Act, including MRP violation, sale of illicit liquor.
Accusing former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of looting public by allocating distilleries to his close aides, Ravindra opined that the State government is expected to rake in Rs 30,000 crore revenue per year with the new liquor policy.
“The government is mulling over constituting a tender committee to bring new liquor brands in the State. Liquor shops allotted for toddy tappers will also be filled through a notification,” he added.