Record Liquor Shop Applications in Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh government has extended the deadline for liquor shop allotment applications due to overwhelming interest and has collected nearly Rs 1,987.19 crore in fees. An e-lottery is planned to ensure transparency in the allocation of 27,308 liquor shops, scheduled for March 6, 2025.

The Uttar Pradesh government's liquor shop allotment has seen an impressive response, with 3,65,268 applications received, generating nearly Rs 1,987.19 crore in processing fees, according to officials on Thursday.

Initially set to close by February 27, the application deadline has been extended to 5 PM on Friday to accommodate the high demand for the 27,308 available liquor shops, UP Excise Commissioner Adarsh Singh indicated.

Categories for retail liquor shops include country liquor, composite shops, model shops, and 'bhaang' outlets, with the e-lottery slated for March 6, 2025, through an online portal aimed at ensuring transparency in the process, Singh added.