Get ready to pay more for booze in Uttar Pradesh as cabinet hikes licence fee in new excise policy

Tipplers may have to shell out more for alcohol in Uttar Pradesh in the future as the state cabinet has approved a new excise policy in which the licence fee of liquor and beer shops has been increased by 10 per cent. The decision may lead to an increase in the prices of country-made, English, and premium brand liquor by Rs. 5 to 10, according to a report by ANI.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting held on Saturday.

The Yogi Adityanath government has set a target of Rs 45,000 crore in excise revenue for the fiscal year 2023-24, which is 5,000 crores higher than the previous year's target.


Under the new excise policy, the licence fee for the model shops has been increased from two lakh to three lakh rupees. License fees and security fees for godowns have also been increased under the new policy.

Under the new UP excise policy, master warehouses have to pay more for registration and renewal.

The licence fee for hotels, restaurants, and clubs located up to five kilometers outside the Lucknow Municipal Corporation area has also been increased.

In the excise policy, the opening and closing times of country and English liquor, beer shops, and model shops have been kept unchanged, but on special occasions, the time of sale can be increased with the prior permission of the government.