Chief Minister Revanth Reddy reviewed with Excise Department officials the liquor supply mechanisms and beer pricing in Telangana.
Stressing the need for transparency, the Chief Minister directed officials to adopt a simplified trade policy and ensure stringent standards in approving new companies for liquor supply. The CM asked officials to issue a notification inviting applications from new companies within a month.
“The selection must be transparent, focusing on brand quality standards and supply capacity,” the Chief Minister emphasized. Companies applying must submit proposals with brand names, and only those meeting the criteria will be considered.
During the meeting held on Saturday, officials informed the Chief Minister about pressure from United Beverages Company to increase beer prices by 33.1 per cent. The CM firmly stated that the government would not yield to such demands. Instead, he directed officials to study beer prices in neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra before taking a decision.
“The final decision on price hike will be taken based on the recommendations of the Price Fixation Committee, which is headed by a retired
High Court judge,” the Chief Minister said.
He also assured that the government has been systematically clearing pending Excise Department bills over the past year and asked the Finance Department to address legacy dues imposed by the BRS government.
The review meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari, Special Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, Principal Secretary of the Excise Department Rizvi, and Excise Commissioner Harikiran.
The Chief Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to streamlining the liquor supply process and ensuring fair pricing policies.
