New Delhi: The Delhi government has decided to implement a new liquor policy aimed at bringing back premium liquor brands to city stores and boosting state revenue, which has been adversely affected as Delhi residents flock to Gurugram and Noida to purchase high-end liquor.
The draft of the new liquor policy has already been finalized, and officials indicated that the policy is likely to come into effect by next month. Recently, a high-level meeting was convened to deliberate on several key issues, including the non-availability of premium brands in Delhi and the resultant loss of excise revenue to neighboring states.
According to sources, the government is considering aligning liquor prices with those in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to prevent cross-border liquor shopping. Officials believe this will help Delhi retain significant revenue currently lost to NCR’s adjoining regions.
While the meeting also discussed the proposal to reduce the legal drinking age for beer from 25 to 21 years, the government has not yet reached a consensus. At present, Delhi maintains the highest minimum drinking age in the NCR, whereas cities like Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad allow beer consumption from the age of 21.
Government insiders clarified that the objective of the new liquor policy is not just to raise revenue but also to enhance consumer experience and maintain social balance. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has already emphasized that the new framework will be designed to ensure no adverse social impact on vulnerable communities.
The government is also considering relocating liquor stores away from residential areas and introducing a clean, premium retail outlet model to modernize the experience.
Once implemented, the new policy will ensure that Delhi residents will no longer have to travel to neighboring states to buy premium alcohol, marking a major shift in the capital’s excise strategy.
