Naidu Urges Officials to Prioritize Public Health Ahead of New Liquor Policy

Fast Summary:

• Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu advocated for the excise Department to prioritize public health in implementing the new Liquor policy (NLP), set to commence on September 1.
• The NLP emphasizes selling liquor with lower alcohol content as a measure to safeguard consumer health.
• Mr.Naidu attributed deaths and family devastation caused by consumption of substandard liquor during YSR Congress Party rule.
• Bar licenses will be allotted via a lottery system based on population,with fees:

– ₹35 lakh for areas under 50,000 population,
– ₹55 lakh for towns under five lakh population,
– ₹75 lakh for cities/towns exceeding five lakh population.

• The Chief Minister mandated reserving 10% of bar licenses for underprivileged castes, mirroring existing allotments in liquor shops.
• Officials reported increased sales along Andhra Pradesh’s borders due to better pricing and quality compared to neighboring states.
• Currently, all liquor sales are “ID liquor-free” across twelve districts; eight more districts are expected to follow within a month.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The introduction of the New Liquor Policy by Andhra Pradesh underscores a shift in focus from revenue generation towards prioritizing public health and social welfare. By advocating lower alcohol content beverages and strict adherence to Cabinet Sub-Committee recommendations, the government aims at curbing alcoholism-related issues while enhancing transparency through lottery-based bar license allocations.

The inclusion of reservations for underprivileged castes illustrates an attempt at equitable distribution within business opportunities tied to the sector. Additionally, improved quality under stricter enforcement has positioned Andhra Pradesh’s liquor ecosystem competitively compared to neighboring states-an indicator of economic balancing amidst governance reforms.

If successfully implemented as intended, these measures could contribute significantly toward reducing alcohol-related societal harm without disrupting state revenues from this high-demand industry. However, sustained monitoring will be critical in maintaining quality control across such large-scale changes.

Link: Published August 04, 2025