Hyderabad, November 04: ‘‘It’s your life, make it large!’’ tempts a leading liquor brand. Want to make a large then? At least, a Patiala peg? Well, pause a minute before you rush in. That peg or two could leave a bitter taste in your mouth and a bigger hole in your pocket if your favourite brand has its way.
The State Government is all set to allow increase in liquor prices reportedly under tremendous pressure from liquor manufacturers.
Government sources told Express that an expert committee comprising a retired judge, formed to look into the prices of liquor, recommended a hike in liquor prices citing increased cost of Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA), an ingredient used to produce liquor by the manufacturers.
After examining the panel’s suggestions, the State Excise Department forwarded the same to Chief Minister K Rosaiah. The government is expected to issue a GO soon allowing the companies to hike liquor prices.
Once it is issued, prices of cheap liquor brands (per quarter bottle) are likely to go up by Rs 4, medium range brands by Rs 7 and high end brands by almost Rs 9.
‘‘The issue has been pending for the last one year. At one point, manufacturers threatened to stop production.
Their contention is that the price of ENA has gone up to Rs 44 per litre due to which the cost of production has increased,’’ sources said adding that stopping liquor production even for a day would mean heavy loss of revenue for the State Government.
Simultaneously, the Excise and Prohibition Department is also getting ready to crack the whip on all those selling illicitly distilled liquor because they could take advantage of the hike in prices.
It is learnt that the late chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy had decided to allow increase in liquor prices and sources said Rosaiah too, had no other option but to give in to the manufacturers’ demand.
–Agencies