Telangana hikes liquor prices by 20-25%

Hyderabad, May 19: The Telangana government has increased the liquor prices by 20 to 25 per cent to mop up revenues. Prices of all brands of liquor were hiked and this is expected to help the government generate additional revenues of Rs 6,000 crore to Rs 7,000 crore annually.  The state had earned Rs 30,000 crore from liquor sales in 2021-22 with the tax income reported at Rs 12,000 crore. 

The authorities have increased the price of 1,000 ml liquor by Rs 120. The price has gone up to Rs 615 from Rs 495 earlier. The price of a quarter bottle has been hiked by Rs 20. On all types of beer, there was a minimum hike of Rs 10 per bottle.
 
The new prices will come into effect from Thursday. The excise officials checked the liquor stocks at wine shops, bars and pubs on Wednesday night after the day's sales came to an end. The available stocks will be sold at new rates from Thursday.

The liquor prices have been hiked for the first time since liquor policy 2021-23 came into effect. Liquor prices were last hiked in the state in May 2020 soon after the first phase of Covid-19 lockdown.

This has come at a time when the state is facing a fund crunch to continue its welfare schemes as the Centre has tightened norms on loans and market borrowings. This is the latest in a series of measures taken by the state government to mop its revenues. It recently hiked market value of lands, property registration charges, bus fares and electricity charges. IANS