
Now, beer to be sold at over 3K country liquor shops in UP
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Lucknow: Providing more options to consumers and creating additional revenue streams, sale of beer cans and bottles will be allowed through 3,138 additional country liquor vends across Uttar Pradesh.
Under the new excise policy, which came into effect on April 1, the excise department has allowed
country liquor shops
to be upgraded to add a counter for sale of beers as long as no composite shop is present within 3km distance. The move is expected to generate Rs 150 crore just through licence fees.
The department has started the process of upgrading 3,138 shops that would cater to brew lovers in addition to 9,362 composite shops.
Permission is being granted after carrying out local surveys. This is to provide a strong catchment area for the composite shop owners who pay higher licence fees to the govt.
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Stakeholders said multiple factors are leading to the increased demand for brew, with shortened winter spells being the primary one. Compared to the 2019-20 financial year, when 35.15 crore units (each unit being 650 ml) were sold in Uttar Pradesh, the demand increased to 53.6 crore units during the 2023-24 financial year, an increase of 53%.
"Over the past few years, the temperatures have gone up in the state. Also, the urban heat island effect is being experienced, and the younger population prefers beer. You do not require glasses or water to consume it, and cans can be disposed of easily after consumption," said Devesh Jaiswal, co-owner of a composite shop in Talkatora locality.
Excise commissioner Adarsh Singh said from 9,362 retail vends, the overall number is expected to go up to 12,518.
"Apart from generating additional revenue through the licence fees, year-long sale of beer would provide a substantial amount of excise duty to the department. A survey of country liquor shops is being carried out to check whether adequate space is available on the premises and to ensure no other composite vend is operational within a 3-km distance," said Singh.
Chasing a target of Rs 63,000 crore for the 2025-26 financial year, the department is expecting to mop up close to Rs 150 crore through additional licence fees and Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 1,500 crore as duty over the brew sold through the increased number of vends. Breaking past records, the department made Rs 52,575 crore in the 2024-25 financial year and needs to increase its collection by an additional Rs 10,425 crore to achieve the target set forth by the state govt.

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