Now, tipplers to cough up more for that extra nasha!

Hyderabad: After chill beer in the hot summer, hard spirits - whisky, brandy, vodka, ready to drink alcohol and also cheap liquor have become costlier. In a move to mobilise huge funds in the new financial year 2025-2026, the State government has increased liquor prices. The State Excise and Prohibition wing has already made proposals to enhance the prices of premium whisky by at least 10 per cent and the government approved the same on Sunday.

Official sources said that the excise wing increased at least by Rs 10 on each bottle containing 180 ml liquor and Rs 40 on 750 ml bottle. All the licensed liquor shops have received a circular of the enhancement of liquor prices and asked the dealers to implement the new price structure with immediate effect. It is estimated that the government will generate Rs 200 crore additional revenue through the increase of liquor prices every month.

“The government projected Rs 27,600 crore revenue through liquor sales as against Rs 25,617 crore revised estimates in the current financial year. It was estimated Rs 2,000 crore more revenue from liquor sales and it would be generated only by increasing the liquor prices and the annual fee collected from the licensed liquor shops,” said official sources adding that the increase of premium liquor prices will not affect the liquor sales since the targeted consumers are ready to afford.

Sources said that the contribution of premium liquor sales in the revenue generation was around 30 per cent and it would help to increase revenues through the hiking of liquor prices. The government has already increased beer prices recently and it helped to generate good revenues as the chilled beer sales were high during the summer season.