telangana-s-new-excise-policy-brings-in-big-moolah

After vehemently opposing the rising liquor sales in the state while in opposition, the Congress government in Telangana is now banking heavily on excise revenue as the new Excise Policy came into effect on December 1.

 

Under the new policy, which will remain in force till November 2027, all applicants who secured liquor shops through the bidding process opened their outlets from Monday.

 

The Excise department has already earned about ₹2,860 crore through the sale of liquor shop application forms in October. The department increased the non-refundable application fee from ₹2 lakh during the Bharat Rashtra Samithi government period to ₹3 lakh.

 

A total of 95,436 applications were filed for 2,620 liquor shops across the State. Though the number of applications saw a small dip compared to the previous term, the department earned more revenue due to the increased application fee.

 

The Congress government came to power in December 2023, and for the 2023-25 term the department earned ₹2,640 crore from applications. This has now risen to ₹2,860 crore for the 2025-27 period.

 

During the 2023-25 term, the department earned nearly ₹71,000 crore through liquor sales in the State, of which close to eighty percent went directly to the State treasury, according to official sources.

 

With revenue generated through tenders, liquor shop licence fees and taxes from distilleries and breweries added, the cumulative earnings are estimated to cross ₹1 lakh crore.

 

Liquor shop owners must pay annual licence fees based on their location and sales. In the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits, the annual fee is ₹1.10 crore per shop, while those located within five kilometres beyond the GHMC boundary pay ₹85 lakh. In municipalities, municipal corporations and rural bodies, the slabs are ₹56 lakh, ₹55 lakh and ₹50 lakh respectively.

 

With Gram Panchayat elections scheduled next month, liquor sales are expected to rise further, giving a big boost to excise revenue.

 

Also read: Apologise or face film ban in state: T'gana Min to Pawan Kalyan