Hyderabad: Rising liquor consumption was blamed on the previous BRS regime by Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, who cited policy decisions and revenue growth trends.
Speaking during a budget discussion in the Legislative Assembly, the Minister responded to arguments raised by BRS MLA T. Harish Rao. He said the increase in liquor consumption could be traced to decisions taken during the earlier government.
Krishna Rao argued that the previous regime expanded liquor sales and normalised higher consumption. As a result, he said, the trend became deeply embedded across the state.
He presented comparative figures to support his claim. Excise revenue stood below Rs. 10,000 crore at the time of Telangana’s formation. However, it rose to Rs. 35,000 crore by the end of the BRS tenure.
He said this sharp increase reflected policies that encouraged liquor sales. He added that the data showed who had incentivised consumption growth.
Rising liquor consumption linked to policy changes
The Minister said the earlier approach contributed to a culture of addiction. Therefore, he described the issue as a structural outcome of past governance.
At the same time, he said the current government had avoided raising taxes despite fiscal pressure. Instead, it introduced a new liquor policy for 2025–27.
He noted that the policy generated around Rs. 2,800 crore through non-refundable application fees. According to him, this reflected strong participation without additional tax burden.
In contrast, he criticised the previous government’s fiscal management. He said state debt rose sharply during its tenure, increasing from about Rs. 65,000 crore before bifurcation to several lakh crores later.
Krishna Rao said the present government now faced the dual challenge of stabilising finances and addressing rising liquor consumption. He added that policy corrections were underway.
He maintained that responsibility for the current situation lay with the previous regime. He said the government would now focus on balancing revenue needs with public health concerns.
