Jharkhand News: East Singhbhum overhauls liquor trade, only composite shops to operate

PINAKI MAJUMDAR

Jamshedpur, July 31: A major restructuring of the liquor trade is underway in East Singhbhum, with the district administration deciding to abolish separate outlets for country and foreign liquor.

Going forward, all 109 liquor shops in the district will function as composite outlets, stocking both varieties under a single roof.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Karn Satyarthi is overseeing the preparation of the new blueprint in line with the state government’s directive.

The final proposal will be submitted to the Excise Department in Ranchi, after which the state-level lottery for allotment of liquor shops will be conducted.

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Officials have indicated that the delay in preparing this proposal has also caused a holdup in the lottery process across Jharkhand.

Previously, the district had 60 composite shops, 43 foreign liquor outlets and 7 country liquor stores. Under the revised system, these categories have been merged into 109 composite shops.

While the Excise Department had initially supported the continuation of country liquor outlets to cater to labourers and low-income customers, the district administration decided that all sales—whether of Indian-made foreign liquor or traditional brews—will now take place only through composite shops.

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Revised Revenue Target: ₹256 Crore

The state’s initial target of ₹419 crore in liquor revenue for the current fiscal year has been restructured. For East Singhbhum, the revised goal from September 2025 to March 2026 is ₹256 crore.

The Minimum Guaranteed Revenue (MGR) for the shops has already been determined.

However, discrepancies—such as one Kadma outlet pegged at ₹3 crore while another at only ₹1 crore—are being corrected. Once finalised, the government will issue a notification inviting applications, leading to the lottery process.

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Allotment Rules

Under the new guidelines, a company can obtain up to three groups of shops within a district (with each group comprising three outlets) and a maximum of nine groups across the state.

₹33 Crore Revenue Irregularity Detected 

Investigations have revealed a ₹33 crore revenue shortfall involving Wavell Technology Pvt. Ltd., the placement agency managing liquor sales. The matter is currently before the Jharkhand High Court, and further action will depend on the court’s ruling.