The Andhra Pradesh government, in order to generate more revenue, has decided to allow malls and hypermarkets across the State to sell liquor.
Announcing the State’s excise policy for 2015-17 at secretariat here Monday, AP Excise Minister Kollu Ravindra said since liquor was being sold in malls and hyper markets like other commodities in all the metros and big cities, including Hyderabad, the government had decided to allow the same in AP too.
“This will help in maintaining quality of liquor. More liquor is sold in hyper markets than wine shops,” he claimed.
Stating that the government would monitor liquor sales in malls and hypermarkets, the minister said these markets would be asked to follow all the norms framed by the government.
Stating that the setting up of one liquor shop run by government in all the mandals of the State would help in maintaining quality of the liquor and MRP, Ravindra said this would help in keeping checks and balances on the sale of liquor.
“About 10 per cent of the total 4,380 shops would be allotted to government,” he said.
