Hyderabad : The state government has increased liquor prices, which will fetch additional revenue of `500-600 crore a year.
Increasing excise duty as well as the trade margin of the AP Beverages Corporation Limited will make beer costlier by `4 per bottle while alcohol prices will go up by `3-5 per bottle, depending on the brand.
“The price of low-end liquor will remain the same,” excise commissioner Mr V.K. Agrawal told this newspaper, as both the duty and trade margin increases have not been applied.
Sources said the Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, approved the increase in duty after the finance department said it would find it difficult to mobilise the required resources. Excise duty on lager beer was increased to `7 per litre and to `9 for stronger beer. The duty on other liquor was increased by `30 for liquor in the `500-`700 and `1,000-`2,000 categories and by `35 in the `2,000 and above category. A 180 ml bottle of Bagpiper whisky will go up by `2, Officer’s Choice by `3 and McDowells by `5.
