Emphasis on public health, not revenue: Andhra CM on new bar policy
During a review meeting at the State Secretariat with Ministers Kollu Ravindra (Excise) and Kondapalli Srinivas (MSME), and Excise officials on Monday, Naidu stressed that the new policy prioritises public health. 'The liquor policy is not just about revenue. We must focus on safeguarding people's health, and ensuring that poor households are not devastated by alcohol,' he asserted.
Naidu highlighted that low-alcohol content beverages could reduce health risks for consumers, and mitigate the harm caused by substandard liquor, which affected lakhs of families during the previous regime.
Now, the State has 840 bars, and bar licences will be allotted through a lottery system under the new policy. Licence fee is set based on population. The fee is Rs 35 lakh for areas with a population below 50,000, Rs 55 lakh for up to 5 lakh, and Rs 75 lakh above 5 lakh.
The policy is expected to generate Rs 700 crore revenue through applications, and licence fee, with a mandatory requirement of at least four applications per bar.
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