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Cheap liquor move is back
Telangana government, which had dropped the plan to introduce cheap liquor under pressure from the opposition parties, revived its proposal afresh. This time, the government is planning to slash the prices of cheap liquor and make it available to the poor who are hooked onto illicitly-distilled liquor like gudumba.
Hyderabad: Telangana government, which had dropped the plan to introduce cheap liquor under pressure from the opposition parties, revived its proposal afresh. This time, the government is planning to slash the prices of cheap liquor and make it available to the poor who are hooked onto illicitly-distilled liquor like gudumba.
A three-member tender committee, appointed by the government for upward revision of liquor prices, has suggested the government to reduce the price of cheap liquor. The committee felt that reducing the prices will make cheap liquor available to the poor who cannot afford regular liquor. The non-availability of illicitly-distilled liquor after the recent successful conduct of raids in districts has made the addicts vulnerable to several health problems.
An official of the Excise Department told The Hans India that the committee took into consideration the request of the Excise Department to reduce the cheap liquor prices to curb the gudumba menace permanently. The department explained to the committee that price reduction would help poor to consume distilled liquor which causes less harm to their health when compared to illicitly-distilled liquor.
ID liquor was being supplied to tipplers at Rs 20 to Rs 30 per bottle containing 180 ml. The Excise Department has been supplying cheap liquor at Rs 60 per bottle. If the prices go further down to Rs 40 or Rs 45, poorer section will have the advantage. This will also help in eradication of ID liquor problem permanently, an official said.
Succumbing to the pressure from opposition, the government withdrew the proposal to introduce cheap liquor at affordable prices in the villages as part of new Excise policy came into force from October this year.
Sources said that the file pertaining to increase prices of liquor was pending before Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. The Finance Department has already made its observations on the committee recommendations. If all goes well, liquor prices will be increased by 10 to 20 per cent on various brands.
The distilleries have been demanding an increase in liquor prices by 20 per cent to meet the increased expenses on liquor production. The managements also brought to the notice of the government that for the first time, liquor prices have not been increased for last three years. Earlier, governments increased prices every two years on the request of the distilleries. The annual revenue target from the sale of liquor for 2015-16 is Rs.12,207 crore as against total revenue of Rs.10,238 crore earned last year. Till date, the Excise Department earned Rs 7,700 crore.
