Following the approval of the state cabinet’s newly implemented excise policy on Tuesday, beer shops in Uttar Pradesh can now seek permission for a dedicated drinking area, drawing parallels to model shops permitting BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle).
Starting from April next year, the excise department will issue licenses to vendors for a 100-square-foot area near their shops, with an annual license fee set at INR 5,000. Similar to BYOB establishments, vendors will not be permitted to serve food to customers.
As per the policy document, to consume beer in the vicinity of the vending area, the applicant is required to possess a minimum space of 100 square feet within a 20-meter radius of the shop. Additionally, the beer shop is not permitted to have a canteen facility.
Authorities disclosed that this easing of restrictions is intended to discourage the practice of public drinking on roadsides or in vehicles. Subodh Kumar, the district excise officer, conveyed that this fresh initiative is anticipated to reduce such occurrences while concurrently enhancing revenue.
These changes are part of the new excise policy, slated to come into effect on April 1, 2024.
In the current policy framework in Uttar Pradesh, liquor shops are classified into three categories—model shops, foreign liquor shops, and beer shops. Presently, the buying and consumption of liquor are allowed at model shops, whereas it is not permitted at foreign liquor shops and beer shops.
Gautam Budh Nagar alone hosts 25 model shops, 141 foreign liquor shops, and 140 beer shops.
Ashok Yadav, a liquor trader, welcomed the government’s move, stating, “This is a welcome move by the government. A number of people buy beer, but they can’t find suitable places to consume it. I am planning to get a beer shop license in the coming months.”
Consumers also regard the new policy as a “positive initiative.” Sanjeev Kumar, a resident of Sector 51 in Noida, expressed, “I feel the new policy is a good initiative. But these shops should be at a sufficient distance from residential areas and educational institutions.”
Furthermore, the upcoming policy is set to result in a price surge in liquor starting from the next fiscal year, involving a suggested INR 5 raise for country-made liquor and a 10% increase in the license fee for all retailers.
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Although the prices of beer and Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) have remained stable, Noida witnessed a notable surge in liquor sales, reaching INR 1,652.7 crore in the fiscal year 2022-23, compared to INR 1,346.4 crore in the preceding year. Similarly, Ghaziabad experienced an increase in revenue from liquor trade, rising from INR 1,474 crore in 2021-22 to INR 1,577 crore in 2022-23.
As the New Year draws near, the district excise officer has declared an enforcement campaign to ensure adherence to regulations during celebrations. He emphasized, “Individuals must obtain occasional bar licenses to serve liquor at parties. Violations will lead to FIRs, and the offenders will face imprisonment.” The campaign is slated to take place from December 21 to January 4 in Noida and Greater Noida, featuring unannounced inspections at different sites.
