Applications for liquor shop licences in the erstwhile Khammam district fell sharply for the 2025-27 period, with only 4,430 applications for 116 shops compared to 7,207 in the previous round
The Telangana Prohibition and Excise Department received 95,137 applications for 2,620 liquor shops this term, down by 37,000 compared to the previous round. The average number of applications per shop also fell from 50 to 36. Despite the decline, revenue rose to Rs 2,836.98 crore from Rs 2,645.24 crore, owing to a hike in the application fee from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.
A woman from Andhra Pradesh has made headlines by submitting 150 applications for liquor shop licences, paying Rs 4.5 crore in fees, even as overall applications declined this term. The government is also implementing community-based reservations for the allotment of 2,620 liquor shops across the state.
The Telangana Wine Dealers Association submitted six recommendations to simplify liquor tax calculations, allow A4 licence transfers, increase permit room sizes, exempt hospital-adjacent outlets, extend licence periods, and raise purchase limits, ahead of the State’s new Excise Policy