New wine shop licences will need legislature nod; none issued: Ajit Pawar

Indian Express

5 hours ago

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar Sunday clarified that no new licences have been issued, and any such decision would require the approval of the state legislature, as mandated by a rule in place since 1974.
'A decision was taken back then that liquor shop licences cannot be granted without taking the legislature into confidence. That rule still stands… Alcohol addiction affects men, but the real suffering is borne by women. These rules were made keeping that social impact in mind,' he said.
Pawar's remarks came after the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) accused the government of planning to issue 328 new liquor licences to boost revenue. A report published in Loksatta stated that the state government was set to lift a 50-year-long freeze on issuing new wine shop licences. According to the report, the government will issue new licences as per the recommendation of the recently formed committee.
The move is part of a broader strategy to increase revenue through the Excise Department, which is the fourth-largest contributor to the state's income, generating around Rs 43,000 crore annually. With welfare schemes such as 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin' demanding significant funding, the government is exploring additional sources of income. If the recommendations of a recently formed committee are implemented, the excise revenue is expected to rise by Rs 14,000 crore per year, Loksatta reported.
However, the decision has sparked controversy and allegations of conflict of interest. A committee to implement these reforms was formed under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister and Excise Minister Ajit Pawar.
Industry experts and opposition leaders questioned the appropriateness of Pawar leading the committee, suggesting it may benefit his close network.
NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad alleged that the government is trying to recover funds spent on schemes like Ladki Bahin by reviving long-suspended licenses.
'This is like turning a brother into a drunkard to run the household for a sister,' Awhad said. 'The moral cost of such a policy will be immense.'
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut called for an inquiry into the alleged distribution of licences to relatives of ministers. 'Liquor licences are being delivered directly to homes of ruling party MLAs,' Raut said.
According to officials, the Excise Department had submitted proposals to increase state excise revenue, including the liberalisation of wine sales and issuing new licences. However, they confirmed that no decision has been made, and the 1974 rule remains binding.
Maharashtra currently has around 1,700 foreign liquor and 3,500 country liquor licences, all issued before 1974.