Liquor prices regularised as part of alcohol ban measures: AP Dy CM Narayana Swamy

Deputy CM Narayana Swamy on Friday said that the liquid prices have been regularised as part of the phase-by-phase liquor ban. With some pood people moving towards sanitizers, which has become the major concern, hence the prices on cheap liquor is reduced. He recalled that 43,000 belt shops had been removed in a manner unprecedented in history, and that liquor shops and bars had already been reduced by 33 per cent. The minister was outraged over Chandrababu and TDP leaders stating that the government was working for a phased ban on alcohol as said in the manifesto. He recalled the sale of illicit liquor in heritage centers.

He questioned whether it was true that nearly 80 per cent of TDP leaders were trading in illicit liquor. It is flagrant that Chandrababu is still acting as if he was pushing for a ban on alcohol during the NTR regime. He said alcohol was on the rise in the state during the Chandrababu regime. However, Narayana Swamy revealed that after CM YS Jagan came to power, a special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) was set up like nowhere else in the country where it has registered 36,000 cases and arrested 46,000 in three months.

It is known fact that the Andhra Pradesh government has decided to reduce alcohol prices. The IMF has adjusted the prices of liquor, foreign liquor, beer and wine. To this end, the government issued orders regulating prices after a cabinet meeting on Thursday. Reduced on brands priced below Rs.150. It also reduced the prices of 90 ml of liquor which is priced between Rs 190 to Rs 600. The prices of premium and super premium categories are revised upward, keeping the overall increase of MRPs at 75 percent on the prevailing MRPs as on May 3, 2020. Rajat Bhargava, Special Chief Secretary, Revenue (Excise) Department issued a GO MS No 256 on September 3 with this effect.