AP: NTR district administration conducts drawing of lots to select private retailers for liquor shops

NTR received 5,825 applications for these liquor shops.

"We have got 5,825 applications for 113 liquor shops. We are taking two reserve candidates just in case the selected will not be completing the formalities today. Our endeavour is to complete the procedure today. We expect this process to be completed by the afternoon," G Srijana, NTR district magistrate told reporters.

The Andhra Pradesh government received 89,882 applications for the liquor shops across the state. The NTR district received the highest number of applications among the districts in the state. The ASR district came second with 1205 applications for 40 shops.

The new liquor policy, notified by the government on September 30, has a two-year licensing period, lasting until 2026.

It lifts previous restrictions imposed by the former government, which had prevented private retailers from selling liquor. The state government's notification has opened more than 3,000 shops across the state to the private sector for liquor sales.

The Opposition YSRCP had criticised the TDP-led government for introducing the new liquor policy

Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) Women's Wing President and MLC Varudu Kalyani criticised the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) coalition government on Wednesday for introducing a new liquor policy, expressing concerns about its negative impact on the public, and calling it harmful and designed solely for financial gains.

Earlier this month in a video posted by the YSRCP on X, the party's Women's Wing President and MLC Varudu Kalyani said, "The government should take responsibility for controlling alcohol. Why are government-owned liquor shops being handed over to the private sector? The coalition government introduced this 'brandy policy' on Gandhi's birth anniversary."

"It is harmful to privatise alcohol and implement a policy that encourages illegal sales. Women are strongly against it," she added.

Earlier, the TDP-led Andhra Pradesh government notified a new liquor policy, expecting to collect around Rs 5,500 crore in revenue. The policy came into effect from October 12. (ANI)