Amaravati: Prices of premium liquor slashed to curb smuggling

Amaravati: Here is some great news for Bacchus lovers in Andhra Pradesh. The government is reducing the prices to prevent smuggling of medium and higher brands of liquor. Low-priced brands do not come under the ambit of the new GO issued on Thursday as no one smuggles them, the Government claimed. The benefit for the liquor consumers would range from Rs 60 to Rs 1,000 depending upon the quantity and brand.

However, this does not apply to beer or ready mix drinks. First, the government wanted to reduce consumption of alcohol in the State. So the AP Government, as promised in the manifesto and moving towards the goal of total prohibition, thought it fit to peg the prices of liquor (MRP) at a very high level compared to the neighbouring States.

In this direction, it closed down the chain shops, reduced the number of liquor outlets and bars and also took over the very trade itself. But, facing a herculean task in controlling or curbing smuggling of the liquor completely, it has decided to 'rationalize the liquor prices' so that people don't feel the pinch in buying the locally-manufactured liquor brands here on Thursday. The order comes into effect from Friday onwards.

This time around, it is the medium and higher brands - which are being regularly smuggled in ample quantities - that become cheaper now as the government aims to implement its 'avowed policy' of curbing liquor consumption and complete stoppage of inter-border smuggling.

Accordingly, the MRP of the full bottles would be lesser by Rs 400 to Rs 1,000 while the smaller quantity ones too would come at reduced prices to the tune of Rs 50 to Rs 500.