Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu holding a meeting with the members of the Cabinet Sub Committee on Excise, at the Secretariat on Tuesday.

The new excise policy proposes 10% reservation for the toddy-tappers in Andhra Pradesh in the auction of liquor shops.

Addressing the media after a meeting with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, at the Secretariat here on September 17 (Tuesday), members of the Cabinet Sub Committee, comprising Kollu Ravindra, A. Satya Kumar, Nadendla Manohar and Kondapalli Srinivas, asserted that the new excise policy being launched by the NDA coalition government laid emphasis on quality and affordability as opposed to the one adopted by the previous YSRCP dispensation.

“Highest priority has been accorded to transparency and accountability,” the Ministers said.

The new policy would be tabled before the Cabinet for approval on September 18 (Wednesday). It would be implemented from October 1 as the existing policy would lapse by the end of September.

Several teams of officers had visited six States to study the best policies being implemented there, and suggested certain best practices for incorporation in the new policy, the Ministers said

They said the government would negotiate with the Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) distilleries to reduce, or give a competitive price for Andhra Pradesh, when compared with the other States.

Loan burden

The previous YSRCP government had mobilised more than ₹13,000 crore loan through the A.P. Beverages Corporation and diverted the amount, alleged Mr. Ravindra alleged, and added that it tuned out to be an additional financial burden.

Many people who had consumed the poor quality of liquor supplied by the previous government fell ill, and in some cases died, alleged Mr. Satya Kumar.

Mr. Srinivas attributed the rise in single woman pensions in the State to alcohol deaths.

Kidney diseases increased by 50%. Deaths by suicide and people suffering from psychological disorders saw a sharp rise after 2019 in the State, the Ministers said, adding that these disturbing trends could be attributed to the flaws in the previous liquor policy.

Mr. Manohar said premium outlets would be opened and liquor would be available at the tourism destinations in the State.