Cheers. The leadership of Telangana found to its dismay that there was a huge gap between demand and supply of liquor in the nascent state . Arrangement are afoot to see that supply of booze is sufficient and to make it affordable in rural-TS. At the same time, an opportunity will given to the Urban folk to have the relish of their favorite tipple at midnight.
This is all part of the new program the TS launching under the name “Our State-Our Booze”.
The dual purpose of the new slogan is to make available booze to all sections of people at affordable rates in rural areas and for long hours in urban areas.
The government has immediately initiated steps to ensure that it gap is filled up in no time and supply is aplenty. It has launched a program “Our State and Our Liquor”. There are 17 distilleries in Telangana. As these are inadequate, the government is permitting five more distilleries and some micro-breweries to produce enough beer for benefit B-guzzlers. And to make the liquor is within the reach of everyone in the state, the rate of cheap liquor of 180 ML is fixed at Rs 30. The government also decided to abolish the 160-190 per cent VAT on people’s liquor. And for the benefit of the Urban folk, who is repsonsible for vibrancy of economy, the timings of watering-holes have been extended. Now they will be kept open till 12 midnight. In addition to the existing ones, another 200 liquor shops will spring up in GHMC area in a month.
Telangana rural drinkers are affected by two chronic problems- Gudumba in Warangal, Khammam, Mahabubnagar and Ranga Reddy, and Adulterated Toddy in Medak, Karimnagar, Nizambad. The new policy of “Our State- Our Booze” is also aimed at curbing the menace.
If people cooperate, the TS government would achieve the revenue target of Rs 13,500 crore.
