The Telangana government has reported a huge jump in the liquor revenue for fiscal 2021-2022. The state earned revenue of Rs30,086 crore during the year. The state has been witnessing a steady rise in liquor revenue since it came into existence in 2014. Now, for the first time, after state formation, the government’s liquor sales crossed Rs 30,000 crore, a record of sorts. This is a three-fold rise over the revenue of Rs 10,883 crore in 2014-15. According to the information available with the department, the state has been reporting growth of Rs 4000 in revenue every year since 2014.
Curiously, the state still lags behind Adityanath Yogi’s Uttar Pradesh which crossed Rs 30,000 crore in 2020-21 itself. Uttar Pradesh recorded a 74 percent jump in liquor revenues in 2020-21 itself. The success formula is the same: more shops and bars
In the four years from April 2017 to March 2021, the revenue from liquor sales almost doubled from Rs 17,320 crore to Rs 30,061 crore in UP. The share of liquor revenues in the total revenues of the state is 10 pc.
As for Telangana, during 2021-22 as many as 3.62 crore cases of Indian Made Foreign Liquor and 3.35 million cases of beer have been sold in the state. The month of December, with a sale of liquor worth Rs 3,451 set the record.
The increase in sales is attributed to the approval of 159 new bars, 409 new wine shops, and the extension of business hours for bars and shops.
In Hyderabad, wine shops have been permitted to operate till 11 p.m as against 10 pm earlier. Similarly, bars are allowed to remain open till 1 a.m on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays while the normal closing time is 12 midnight.