There was a significant rise in the number of aspirants applying for liquor shop licence for the excise year 2023-25 with close to one lakh applications received by the authorities till Friday afternoon.
As many as 98,958 applicants submitted their papers till 5 pm on Friday, the last day for applying for licence, for 2,620 outlets with more than 40 applications filed for each shop on an average. The process fetched the State Government close to ₹2,000 crore in the form of non-refundable deposit of ₹2 lakh for each application.
Shamshabad on the city outskirts registered the highest number of 8,409 applications followed by Saroornagar 8,263 and Nalgonda 6,134. The lowest number of 657 applications was received in Nirmal, Adilabad (781), Asifabad (846) and Wanaparthy (989). Applications in Hyderabad circle were numbered at 2,331 and Secunderabad 2,289 till information last came in.
The State Government has advanced issuance of licence for 2,620 liquor outlets in different parts of the State and started receiving the applications from August 3. Following the closure of deadline for submission of applications, draw of lots would be held for selecting licensees on August 21.
Payment of the first instalment of retail shop excise tax should be made on August 21 and 22. This would be followed by release of stocks to new (A4) retail outlets from November 30 and the retail outlets which receive the licence for two years will function from December 1. The advancement of the process has come as a breather to the State Government which was scrambling for resources to meet its commitments for various welfare schemes, including crop loan waiver and Dalit and Rythu Bandhu. The revenue through the first and subsequent instalments of the retail shop excise tax is likely to help the Government tide over the financial constraints in the election year to a major extent.
Many women applicants
In erstwhile Medak district, on the last day, a large number of women submitted their applications at the excise office.
According to sources, the Government invited applications for as many as 243 shops in the erstwhile Medak district and by Friday evening the applications received stood at 8,490. In the district, the government would get ₹170 crore from application fee alone.
