Wine shop license applications in Adilabad drop 23 pc despite government extension

Wine shop license applications in Adilabad and surrounding districts fell sharply for the 2025–27 period despite the government extending the deadline. Revenue, however, rose 15%, with factors including higher fees, festivals, and alleged syndicates affecting participation.

Adilabad: Extension of last date to submit applications for wine shops failed to evince much interest from liquor traders with erstwhile Adilabad district seeing a significant dip in documents when compared to corresponding licensing period.

In a first of its kind move, the government was forced to extend the last date for dropping applications from October 18 to October 23, considering a poor response from traders to issue licenses to wine shops. The move, which prompted owners to move court, could not prevent decline in applications for licenses of wine shops for the 2025-27 period.

---

The Prohibition and Excise officials said that the erstwhile Adilabad district saw 4,132 applications for 192 wine shops this year as against 5,376 applications for 2023-25, posting a deficit by 23 percent. Kumram Bheem Asifabad recorded a drop in the applications by 35 percent, followed by Adilabad district which accounted for a dip of 26 percent. Mancherial and Nirmal districts registered a decline of 24 percent and 8 percent.

While Mancherial district topped with registering 1,712 applications for 73 shops as against 2,242 applications for 2023-25 licensing period, Adilabad district had 772 applications for 40 outlets when compared to 1,047 applications. Nirmal and Kumram Bheem Asifabad districts accounted for 981 and 667 applications to 47 and 32 shops respectively. The two entities received 1,067 applications and 1,020 applications in 2023.

However, the officials pointed out that the income to the government had gone up when compared to that of 2023. The composite Adilabad district earned Rs 123.96 crore this year by way of selling the applications as against Rs 107.52 crore in corresponding period, posting a rise by 15 percent.

According to the officials, the enhancement of non-refundable cost of applications from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, inauspicious days such as Ashtami, Amavasya, Padyami, consecutive holidays and Diwali festivals could have led to a slump in the applications.

Meanwhile, the traders were alleged to have formed syndicates in certain parts of Adilabad, Nirmal, Kumram Bheem Asifabad and Mancherial district, resulting in the dip of applications. The existing traders held consultations with new entrants and prevented them from dropping applications by offering commissions.

Total wine shops in erstwhile Adilabad: 192

Total applications till October 23: 4,172

Total applications for 2023-25 licensing period: 5,376

Deficit: 1,244

Deviation: 23

Income in 2025 (Rs): 123.96 Cr

Income in 2023 (Rs: 107.52 Cr

Adilabad

No of shops: 40

Applications in 2025: 772

Applications in 2023: 1,047

Deficit: 275

Deviation: -26 percent

Mancherial

No of shops: 73

Applications in 2025: 1,712

Applications in 2023: 2,242

Deficit: -530

Deviation: -24 percent

Nirmal

No of shops: 47

Applications in 2025: 981

Applications in 2023: 1,067

Deficit: -86

Deviation: -8 percent

KB Asifabad

No of shops: 32

Applications in 2025: 667

Applications in 2023: 1,020

Deficit: 335

Deviation: -35percent