Youth shows interest in liquor business

VISAKHAPATNAM: The liquor business in Andhra Pradesh has attracted the attention of many, including the youth and software engineers, due to its high demand and potential profits. The state govt has reportedly decided to allocate retail liquor outlets through an auction process.

The new liquor policy would be introduced from October 1, after the previous government's policy of taking over all shops and maintaining them on its own failed to provide popular brands and allegedly supplied substandard liquor, affecting the health of many.

As the govt plans to allow the erstwhile 3,500 liquor shops across the state or even increase the number, many young entrepreneurs, including those from the software field, are preparing to participate in the tenders. T Narayana, a software engineer whose grandfather was a liquor businessman, revealed that he and his friends are planning to bid for a shop in Srikakulam and have already selected a location and rented premises.

"We four friends are planning to take part in the auction for a shop in Srikakulam and we have already held talks with the owner of the rented premises. Likewise, many old liquor syndicates have already given advances for the shops," he said.

Experienced liquor businessmen believe that the govt may follow a policy similar to the one implemented in Telangana for allotting liquor shops, with private persons participating in the auction. They anticipate that the govt would fix Rs. 2 lakh as the tender fee and expect fierce competition, with at least 40 to 60 tenders being filed for each shop, and the number going up to 100 in cities such as Vizag, Vijayawada, Tirupati, Rajahmundry, Kurnool, Kakinada, Ongole, Guntur, and Nellore.

The North Andhra districts had six major syndicates, each with 20 to 40 members, including former ministers, MLAs, and other people's representatives as sleeping partners. These syndicates are now activated and plan to take over at least 10 to 25 shops each. To strengthen the Prohibition and Excise Department, the AP govt has canceled the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) formed by the previous govt.
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