Telangana is turning into a tippler’s paradise. According to the latest National Family Health Survey- 6 (NFHS-6), Telangana accounts for the highest alcohol consumption among larger states, with 43.9 per cent of men and 7.1 per cent of women reporting consumption of alcohol.
This is in sharp contrast to the national picture where only about 18.9 percent of men aged 15 years and above across India consume alcohol. Among women, it is less than 1.1 per cent.
In other words, Telangana has reported alcohol consumption levels that are more than double the national average among men and more than six times higher among women.
The survey findings underscored how alcohol consumption in India remains heavily concentrated in specific regions rather than being uniformly distributed across the country.
The alcohol burden is even more pronounced in rural areas of Telangana. Among rural men, the consumption stood at 46.6 percent, compared with 36.3 per cent in urban areas. This means nearly half of all rural men in the state reported consuming alcohol.
Among women, the rural-urban divide is even more striking. While 2.8 per cent of urban women reported alcohol use, the prevalence rose to 8.6 percent in rural Telangana, meaning rural women were more than three times as likely as urban women to consume alcohol.
Although Telangana’s male alcohol consumption increased only marginally from 43.4 percent in NFHS-5 to 43.9 percent in NFHS-6, the state has maintained its position as one of India’s highest-consumption regions.
Among women, prevalence increased from 6.7 percent to 7.1 per cent.
Arunachal Pradesh tops nationally
While Telangana leads among larger states, Arunachal Pradesh reported the highest alcohol consumption in the country overall.
The survey found that 50.5 per cent of men and 23.2 per cent of women consume alcohol in the northeastern state, though a smaller state with less than a crore population.
More than half of rural men in Arunachal Pradesh reported alcohol use, while one in four women consumed alcohol.
Sikkim also reported exceptionally high prevalence, with 42.2 percent of men and 19.9 percent of women consuming alcohol.
The data highlight the distinctive drinking patterns seen across parts of northeastern India, where female alcohol consumption is significantly higher than the national average.
Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand among the highest
Among major states, Telangana was followed by Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Chhattisgarh reported alcohol consumption among 38.3 percent of men, while Jharkhand recorded 33.6 percent. Himachal Pradesh reported 30.2 percent, Tripura 29.5 percent, Meghalaya 28.3 percent and Uttarakhand 27.2 percent.
These figures indicate that high alcohol consumption is concentrated in specific belts of the country, particularly parts of central India, the Northeast and certain southern states.
One of the most significant findings of NFHS-6 is Telangana’s position among women. At 7.1 per cent, Telangana recorded the highest alcohol consumption among women among all major states. Only a handful of smaller states and Union Territories reported higher female prevalence. Arunachal Pradesh recorded 23.2 percent, Sikkim 19.9 percent, Tripura 6.0 percent, Assam 5.8 percent, Chhattisgarh 5.7 per cent and Jharkhand 5.5 per cent.
Southern states show contrasting patterns
The southern states present sharply contrasting pictures. After Telangana’s 43.9 per cent, Andhra Pradesh reported alcohol consumption among 23.3 per cent of men. Tamil Nadu stood at 23.5 per cent, Kerala at 22.7 per cent and Karnataka at 15.6 per cent.
Among women, Telangana’s 7.1 percent was dramatically higher than all other southern states. By comparison, female alcohol consumption stood at 0.6 per cent in Andhra Pradesh, 0.5 percent in Karnataka, 0.3 per cent in Kerala, 0.3 per cent in Tamil Nadu and 0.3 per cent in Maharashtra.
The survey findings come at a time when India is grappling with a growing burden of non-communicable diseases, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, liver disorders and certain cancers, many of which are linked to alcohol use.
The survey’s alcohol data also align with broader NFHS-6 findings showing significant regional differences in obesity, hypertension and other lifestyle-related health indicators.
While national alcohol consumption appears relatively stable, the state-level picture reveals stark contrasts. Telangana’s position at the top among major states, particularly among women, alongside the extremely high prevalence among rural men, highlights the need for targeted public health interventions rather than a one-size-fits-all national approach.
Also read: Telangana has country's highest C-section rate, Nagaland lowest
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