75,000 liquor shop applications received so far in Telangana; number expected to touch 90,000

The Telangana Prohibition and Excise department has received 75,000 applications for 2,620 liquor shops across the State as of Saturday evening (October 18), generating ₹2,250 crore in revenue.

Officials expect the number of applications to reach around 90,000 by the end of the day as applications continue to flow, taking total collections to approximately ₹2,700 crore, higher than ₹2,645 crore during the previous cycle.

As of Friday (October 17), the department recorded 50,000 applications. As of 6 p.m. on Saturday, another 25,000 applications were reported. However, this licensing cycle has seen a drop in participation compared to 2023, when 1,32,324 applications were submitted. Sources from the department attributed the decline to the increased application fee, which has been raised from ₹2 lakh in 2023 to ₹3 lakh this year.

Applications for the new licences were invited through a notification issued in September, with the submission window open from September 26 to October 18. Each applicant was required to submit a demand draft or challan receipt for ₹3 lakh along with the application form. Only one application per person was allowed and applicants could choose any shop location.

The department will conduct a lottery on October 23 to allot the 2,620 liquor shop licences across Telangana.