The Telangana State government’s decision to allow the sale of toddy in GHMC limits from October 3 is likely to hit its coffers hard as the excise revenue loss due to the resultant reduction in the sale of liquor is estimated to be over Rs. 600 crore per annum.
Official sources stated that the sale of toddy in the State capital is expected to hit the sale of Indian made foreign liquor, which generates most of the excise revenue in the twin cities.
Though the actual loss in the excise revenue following lifting of the ban on toddy sales in Hyderabad will be known only after the month-end, officials have already estimated the loss at over Rs. 50 crore a month.
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The sale of toddy in GHMC limits was banned by the previous united Andhra Pradesh government led by the Congress in 2005, following complaints against the location of toddy shops in residential areas and the nuisance created by drunken men. However, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi government has lifted the ban as part of keeping its pre-poll promise.