The Andhra Pradesh state government had issued orders to bring new liquor policy in the state from October 12. The government would open private retail outlets across the state from October 12. The new policy would be in force till September 30, 2026.
The government would give permits to 3,396 liquor outlets across the state. The government would start receiving applications from the vendors from Tuesday morning. One person can apply for any number of shops. But each application should carry Rs 2 lakh non-refundable fee. The amount could be paid either through debit card or credit card in the banks. The applicants should take a demand draft from the bank and hand it over to the excise officials in the excise police stations.
The district collectors would take lottery on October 11 at the district headquarters and hand over the shops to the applicants on the same day. The sales would start from October 12. The license for the present shops run by the Andhra Pradesh state Beverages Corporation was expired on Monday. However, the government allowed these shops till October 11.
The state government had fixed four slabs for the collection of license fee from the vendors. The vendors should pay Rs 50 lakh for the first year in the places where the population is less than 10,000. The fee would be Rs 85 lakh where the population is more than 5 lakhs. Next year the government would increase the fee by 10 per cent. The fee has to be paid in six instalments.
The government had also decided to open 121 premium stores in the state. These are in addition to the 3,396 stores permitted in the state. These premium stores would come up at Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Rajamahendravaram, Kakinada, Guntur, Nellore, Kurnool, Kadapa, and Ananthapur cities. These stores can run for five years and pay Rs 1 crore per year.
The state government issued ordinance late on Monday giving the retail business to the private vendors. The previous YSR Congress had brought new legislation taking over the retail business from the private vendors. Now the NDA government had changed the law and brought ordinance giving the retail business to the private vendors.
The state government also imposed some restrictions for opening of the liquor shops in Tirupati. The government had banned the opening of the liquor s hops from Tirupati railway station to Alipiri via bus stand, Leela Mahal Circle, Nandi Circle, Vishnu Nivasam, and Srinivasam areas.
However, the government differed the decision on giving the liquor shops to the toddy tappers. The government said that it would take a call on this at a latter date.
