A.P. govt. likely to cut liquor shop licence fee by 50% for toddy tappers

Andhra Pradesh government to reduce Retail Excise Tax by 50% for toddy tappers, licensing process to start soon.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh is likely to reduce the Retail Excise Tax (RET) by 50% for granting the licence for retail sale of liquor through reserved shops for Geetha Kulalu (toddy tappers), according to sources at the Secretariat. The licensing of these reserved shops is yet to commence.

With respect to the general category liquor shops, the government fixed the RET in four slabs starting from ₹50 lakh (areas covering up to 10,000 population), ₹55 lakh (above 10,000 to 50,000), ₹65 lakh (above 50,000 to 5 lakh) and ₹85 lakh (above 5 lakh population).

The RET will be collected in six instalments in a financial year. The licence is given for two years.

The process for granting licences for the shops reserved for toddy tappers is likely to commence next week, once the Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu approves the final policy related to them.

While bringing the new Excise Policy for 2024-26, the government, in G.O. MS. No. 211 on September 30, 2024 maintained that the total number of shops fixed for the licensing period was 3,736, of which 3,396 would be in the open category and 340 shops would be reserved for allocation to the Geetha Kulalu.

This number excludes the number of shops under the Premium Stores category. The guidelines issued in the notification governed disposal of the 3,396 shops under open category, which are now operational across the State.

A separate notification and guidelines are going to be issued for the allocation of the reserved 340 shops and the Premium Stores.