Uttar Pradesh: Liquor Shops to Remain Open During Christmas, New Year's Eve Till 11 pm | Details Here

Ahead of Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, the Uttar Pradesh Excise Department has decided to open liquor shops across the state on December 24 and December 31st till 11 pm.

The liquor association was pushing for extending the current time from 10 am to 10 pm sale time till 11 pm.

UP NEW EXCISE POLICY

Meanwhile, the UP government has implemented a new excise policy aimed at reducing the prices of country-made liquor, a move expected to boost government revenue.

Senthil Pandian C, the State Excise Commissioner, disclosed that the earlier nine categories for country-made liquors have now been streamlined to just four.

According to the State Excise Commissioner, the primary motivation behind the price reduction is to promote grain alcohol in Uttar Pradesh.

This shift eliminates the state’s reliance on other regions and contributes to increased revenue.

The government is actively encouraging the use of grain liquor over molasses liquor, as grain alcohol is renowned globally for its quality.

Previously, Uttar Pradesh had to import grain alcohol from states like Punjab and Haryana. The new policy is anticipated to be beneficial, saving on import duties and reducing GST.

In addition to these changes, the government has set the license fee at Rs 254 per bulk litre, further contributing to enhanced revenue.

The state aims to achieve revenue exceeding Rs 50 thousand crore in 2024–25 by increasing the minimum guarantee quota and minimum guarantee revenue by 10 percent.

In a bid to prevent public drinking, the government is providing 100 square feet of space near model shops.

In a broader strategic move, the export fee on beer has been reduced by 50 paise per litre.

These initiatives collectively reflect the government’s multifaceted approach to optimizing revenue from the alcohol sector while also aligning with its goal of maintaining a stronger position in the market.