Hyderabad
The Telangana government has set a new revenue record by earning Rs 2,639 crore as application fees for the allotment of liquor shops in the state. A staggering 1,31,954 applications have been submitted for the 2,620 available liquor shops across the state. The Excise Department collected this substantial amount of money purely through non-refundable application fees, without selling a single bottle of liquor. The liquor shop allotment will be conducted through a draw of lots on August 21. Licenses for operating these shops will be granted for the period from December 1, 2023, to November 2025. This overwhelming number of applications marks an all-time high since the formation of Telangana state in 2014. In the previous licensing round in 2021, the government had received 69,000 applications, generating Rs 1,350 crore through non-refundable application fees and Rs 3,500 crore through shop license fees. Under the new liquor policy for 2023-25, the non-refundable application fee has been set at Rs 2 lakh per application. The annual license fee per shop ranges from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1.1 crore based on the population of the area. Eligible applicants are required to submit 25% of the amount as excise tax for one year. A special retail excise tax of Rs 5 lakh per year is also applicable. A total of 2,620 shops will be allocated across the state, with 15% of the shops reserved for various weaker sections. Among these, 786 shops will be allotted to Gowdas, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes. Out of the total shops, 615 will be allotted in Hyderabad.
