AP to allot 340 liquor shops to toddy tappers

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed excise officials to issue a notification within a week, allocating 340 liquor shops to toddy tappers’ communities out of the State’s total 3,396 liquor outlets. The announcement came during a review meeting held at the Chief Minister’s residence in Undavalli on Tuesday. The notification will specify eligible individuals from toddy tappers’ communities, with licenses for the allotted shops valid until September 30, 2026.

In a significant move, CM Naidu approved an increase in the trade margin on liquor’s issue price to retail shops from the current 10.5 percent to 14 percent, responding to licensees' requests for parity with Telangana’s policy. Officials informed the Chief Minister that liquor revenue was below expectations.

The state’s initiative to sell liquor at a low price of Rs 99 accounted for just 21 percent of total sales, while 72 percent of sales came from 20 popular brands. Notably, the prices of 19 of these brands are lower than in Telangana. The Chief Minister instructed officials to ensure the availability of low-priced liquor while focusing on curbing the proliferation of illegal belt shops.

To this end, the use of advanced technology was emphasized. The excise department reported that they had booked 8,842 cases against belt shops and seized 26,000 litres of illegal liquor. CM Naidu stressed the importance of sustained efforts to combat illegal liquor sales and improve governance in the liquor trade.