Ahead of prohibition, Andhra Pradesh government to take over booze business

Deputy chief minister and minister for excise, K Narayana Swamy, tabled the draft liquor bill in the assembly on Tuesday. The bill, Andhra Pradesh (Regulation of trade in Indian Made Foreign Liquor, Foreign Liquor (Amendment) Act 2019, amends section 6 of the 1993 Act, authorises the government to have ‘exclusive privilege of selling (liquor) by shop’ in the state and “no other person shall be entitled to any privilege of selling by shop”.

The privileges of selling through a bar and in-house (hotels), however, shall be regulated by the rules made by the government, the new legislation says. This would mean that there would be no liquor shops owned by private players once the Act comes into force, the deputy chief minister said.

Ahead of prohibition, Andhra Pradesh government to take over booze business The deputy chief minister further said that they have noticed that most of the shop licensees willfully violate rules and breach licence conditions. The violations and other irregularities committed by these licensees have been leading to unrest in civil society, the government said as reason for tabling the new Bill.

The government further admitted that they are “determined to eradicate such violations in retailing by shop, by enforcing strict regulation through retailing by public sector organisation.”

Source:-https://retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/food-entertainment/grocery/ahead-of-prohibition-andhra-pradesh-government-to-take-over-booze-business/70358990