Officials within the Telangana Excise Department are on edge, keenly observing the response to the ongoing auction for retail liquor outlet (A4 shop) licenses for the upcoming 2025-27 financial period.
The State Government initiated the application process on August 20, outlining the schedule for these valuable retail permits. Applications opened on September 26, with a firm deadline set for October 18.
A significant increase in the non-refundable application fee, now ₹3 lakh per application—a 50% jump from the previous ₹2 lakh for the 2023-25 period—has the department hopeful of a considerable boost in revenue from these fees alone.
A total of 2,620 new outlets have been announced for the two-year license term. These are strategically divided, with 1,834 earmarked for general category applicants, 393 reserved for the Goud community, 262 for Scheduled Castes, and 131 for Scheduled Tribes. The final allocation of these licenses, covering December 1, 2025, to November 30, 2027, will be determined through a draw of lots on October 23.
Despite receiving an impressive 1.32 lakh applications last cycle, which brought in ₹2,640 crore in non-refundable fees, current submission rates have been slow, with only a few thousand applications received as of October 9. This has led to some anxiety within the department as the deadline approaches.
With only a week left, Excise officials are conducting daily reviews of district-wise application statuses. District-level personnel have been instructed to actively encourage potential investors to submit their applications promptly, ensuring that the non-refundable application fee revenue surpasses the target set for the previous period.
Officials remain confident that the number of applications will pick up significantly in the coming week, especially since the provisions now allow groups of individuals to submit their papers, potentially broadening the applicant pool.