Booze sale till 11 pm likely

The draft liquor policy for the state extends the time to close shops by an hour to 11 pm. Elite shops, which will pay higher licence fee, will be allowed to stay open till midnight.

The draft also allows permit rooms in liquor shops.

The policy has been sent to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for approval. Once it is cleared, it will be implemented from October 1. The licence period of liquor shops ends on September 30.

An official said there will be no change in the fee for the two-year licence, and the number of shops will be retained at 2,200.

The government will rationalise the number of shops by allowing more outlets in areas where demand is high, and reducing those in other areas.

The government expects to earn `7,000 crore through licence fee and between `1,000 crore and `1,200 crore through excise revenues.

There are six slabs based on the population, which will be reduced to four.

Hyderabad city has one ‘Elite’ shop and there is a provision in the liquor policy for two more.

The government collects 25 per cent higher licence fee for Elite shops, which can be kept open till midnight.

The Telangana Wine Dealers Association has requested the government to restore the remission of licence fee for dry days. Initially dry days were observed on the three national holidays. This has now increased in view of law and order problems and related issues.

The government used to adjust the licence fee in the next installment or during the next renewal. The association requested the government to restore this system.