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Biz men eye booze shops for profit kick
Expecting windfall profits from liquor sales in the next two years, particularly 2019 electioneering year, liquor traders in a big number are vying to open licensed liquor outlets under the recently announced new Excise Police 2017-19.
Hyderabad: Expecting windfall profits from liquor sales in the next two years, particularly 2019 electioneering year, liquor traders in a big number are vying to open licensed liquor outlets under the recently announced new Excise Police 2017-19.
The traders made a beeline for the Excise and Prohibition offices on Tuesday to submit their applications for liquor shop licenses, Tuesday i.e., September 19 was the last day for the submission of applications. Officials said according to tentative figures 20,000 applications were received for 2,216 shops in 31districts of the State. A final figure of the total number of applications received by the Excise department would be known on Wednesday evening.
Although the government increased the application fee from Rs 50,000 to Rs one lakh, officials said the liquor traders are competing to open wine shops due to the huge potential of profits in the next two years. As the new liquor shop licenses would be valid till September 2019, the prospective traders are hopeful of earning more profits through huge liquor sales in the next general elections.
Due to the increased competition for liquor outlets, the number of undisposed liquor shops would come down this time.
Last year, 73 shops were left vacant as the traders did not turn up to open the outlets in view of the location in Hyderabad and some other parts of the State. The shops would be allotted to the traders through draw of lots in a week’s time. The new licensed shops would open on October 1.
Excise and Commercial Taxes Department Principal Secretary Somesh Kumar said the last time over 60 shops were not auctioned in Hyderabad but, this time the situation would be different.
This time, the department altered the locations which received poor response in the auction in consultation with the officials and traders in the city. To achieve the revenue targets set through liquor sales, government is making all out efforts to open all licensed outlets in the State. In the districts, traders were already showing more interest in opening liquor outlets at all possible locations.
The shops allotted on National and State highways also received good response. On the instructions of the Supreme Court, the assigned person would have to open the outlets beyond 220 metres periphery of the highways.
