Opposition YSR Congress on Tuesday slammed Andhra Pradesh government’s new excise policy, allowing malls and hyper markets to sell liquor, as “faulty” and said that it is least considerate towards socio-economic issues.
The policy, under which the government would set up a retail liquor shop in every mandal (a sub-district administrative unit) to prevent flow of adulterated brew, has been formulated without taking socio-economic issues into consideration, the party said.
The policy, in force from 2015-17 and unveiled yesterday, comes at a time when the TDP-led government is facing financial crunch and has undertaken a massive exercise to a build a new capital city.
“The sole aim of the TDP government is to increase its excise revenue by all means and it is least considerate towards socio-economic issues. Its decision to open liquor shops on highways is highly objectionable,” party spokesperson Vasireddy Padma said in a release here.
The new liquor policy is “faulty” as it has opened up more avenues for liquor outlets and blatantly encourages sale of alcohol. Targets are being fixed to mop up more revenue without giving a thought to the adverse social impact it will have, she alleged.
The YSRCP leader claimed that ahead of Assembly polls, TDP had promised to close down the belt shops (unauthorised liquor outlets) after coming to power. Instead of fulfilling the promise, it has now given permission to open additional liquor shops.
“We strongly oppose the liquor policy of TDP which aims at only increasing the excise revenue,” Padma added.
—PTI