Jharkhand Cabinet Unveils New Liquor Policy Empowering Private Retail
The Jharkhand cabinet approved a new excise policy allowing private players to manage liquor retail sales, while wholesale rights remain with the state-owned JSBCL. The policy includes a lottery system for shop allocation, a slight price change in liquor brands, and will be effective in a month.
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In a significant policy shift, the Jharkhand cabinet on Thursday approved a new excise policy, which will now allow private players to manage liquor retail sales across the state. This move marks a notable divergence from the previous model, where both wholesale and retail operations were managed by the Jharkhand Beverage Corporation Limited (JSBCL).
According to Excise Secretary Manoj Kumar, the transition to private management is aimed at addressing the manpower shortages faced by JSBCL. While wholesale operations remain under JSBCL, retail allocations will occur through a lottery system involving 1,453 liquor shops. An individual can own a maximum of 12 shops in a district and up to 36 overall.
The new excise policy, effective in a month, might influence pricing, with potential increases of Rs 5 to Rs 10 for certain brands. The cabinet session, chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, also saw the approval of multiple proposals, including regulatory and welfare measures in education and healthcare sectors.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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