The Telangana State government has raked in a whopping Rs 2,639 crores in fees from 1,31,954 applications for retail liquor outlets. This year, there’s been an unprecedented surge in license applications for liquor shops for the next two years (2023-2025) since the formation of Telangana State.
In the previous licensing phase two years ago, they received just 68,000 applications, generating Rs 1,370 crores. According to Excise and Prohibition Department, the response to the new liquor policy has been exceptional, with the most applications coming from Serilingampally (Hyderabad’s IT corridor) and the Shamshabad area (home to the airport and burgeoning developments).
Notably, applications for 2,620 retail liquor outlets in Telangana also poured in from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and other states, possibly more so from neighboring Andhra Pradesh.
The application process began on August 4 and closed on Friday at midnight. The government has pocketed Rs 2,639 crores in non-refundable fees from these applications. Licenses will be allocated on August 21, and those successful will pay the first phase of excise tax on August 21-22. The new shops can operate from December 1, 2023, to November 30, 2025.
This surge in applications is attributed to economic growth in the state, which has led to increased demand in the liquor business due to rising consumption patterns, celebratory events, hospitality, and tourism.
