After liquor shops, Jagan wants to wind up 20% of bars in Andhra by January 1

india

Updated: Nov 09, 2019 00:35 IST

Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy has said his government is all set to reduce the number of bars in the state drastically from January 1.

The announcement was made by Jagan Reddy, who is also the chief of the YSR Congress party, during an official meeting to review the state’s revenue earnings on Thursday night.

Jagan directed the officials of the excise department to reduce the number of bars from January 1 and that alcohol in bars should be provided only between 11am to 10pm. He also said that officials must prepare a set of guidelines for the same.

According to official figures, there are 830 bars in the state, besides another 25 in clubs. This would be brought down by at least 20%, an official familiar with the development said.

The chief minister’s decision is in tune with his government’s policy of implementing a total prohibition across the state in a phased manner. He has promised that by the end of his term, the sale of liquor would be phased out completely and restricted only to big hotels.

As per the new excise policy that came into effect from October 1, the number of liquor shops in the state was brought down from 4380 to 3500 and all shops have been taken over from private traders by the AP Beverages Corporation. The timings of the liquor shops were also reduced by two hours.

Although the officials mentioned the loss of license fee from alcohol shops, Jagan insisted that alcohol must be banned in a phased manner, an official release from the chief minister’s office said.

The officials of the excise department told the chief minister that there was a fall of 8.91% in the revenue from liquor due to the new excise policy. The department had collected Rs 4043.72 crore as income by October end last year and this year, the revenue was only Rs 3683.25 crore.

It is not just the excise department which recorded a fall in the revenues. Many other departments, too, projected that the revenues have come down sharply.

The transport department has seen a 6.83% decline from Rs 2116.49 crore revenue till October in the last year to Rs 1971.91 crore till October this year.

Income from the mining and geological resources department has seen a 19% decline. It had earned Rs. 1258 crore income till October last year and Rs 1023 crore till October this year.

The land and revenue department has seen a 23.49% decline this year compared to last year as it earned Rs 109.66 crore till October last year and Rs 83.9 crore during the same period this year.

The forest department earned Rs 131.69 crore income till October last year whereas, it has seen Rs 29.94 crore till October this year in 78.03% decline in income.

The stamps and registrations department was the only one with a 3.26% revenue growth. It got a Rs 2804.67 crore revenue till October in the last year and Rs 2895.96 crore till October this year.