Key Points:
- On Monday, the Delhi government approved a new excise policy, lowering the minimum age for consumption of liquor to 21 years.
- “Government will ensure equitable distribution of liquor shops so that liquor mafia are thrown out of the trade,” Delhi’s Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said.
- No liquor shop will be less than 500 square feet says the new excise policy.
Not everyone waits for a Monday until you listen to this news. On March 22nd, Monday, the Delhi government approved a new excise policy, lowering the minimum age for consumption of liquor to 21 years. Earlier, the legal drinking age in Delhi was 25.
It was the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia who announced the new policy adaptation. While declaring the same, Sisodia said that there will be ‘no government liquor stores in the city and that no new liquor shops will be opened in the capital.’
“The legal age to drink in Delhi will now be 21. There will be no government liquor stores in Delhi. No new liquor shops will be opened in the national capital,” Sisodia said at a press conference.
Adding in, Sisodia said, “The new excise policy was approved by the Cabinet today on basis of the recommendations of the Group of Ministers. At present, 60 per cent liquor shops in Delhi are run by the government.”
“Government will ensure equitable distribution of liquor shops so that liquor mafia are thrown out of the trade. A revenue growth of 20 per cent is estimated after the reforms in excise department,” he further continued.
Sisodia also said that the younger people who are unaccompanied by anyone elder than the age of 21 will not be allowed at restaurants serving liquor in Delhi.
Sisodia said that the liquor mafia is a big challenge in Delhi, and the government will benefit from revenue of 1 to 2 thousand crores after dealing with the challenge.
In cities like Mumbai, the age for Alcohol Consumption excluding hard drinks is 21 and liquor is barred for those under the age of 25.
Talking about the legal age globally, in major worldwide cities like New York and London, the drinking age is 21 and 18 respectively.
In the conference, Sisodia happen to tell that the panel that suggested of bringing in the new policy also mentioned of issuing retail licenses to departmental stores for selling beer, wine and other “soft liquor categories”, and promoting ease of business for hotels, clubs and restaurants through reforms in the hospitality sector policies.
No liquor shop will be less than 500 square feet and also, no shop will be street facing and no sale will be possible from windows/counters outside the shops.
Concluding, Sisodia said that it is the job of the private sellers to take care that the law is maintained.
