Phased prohibition takes off as AP aims to eliminate all bars by 2024

After reducing retail outlets by 20% to 3,500 for the new excise year starting October 2019, state govt last week issued orders to cut down on the number of bars by 40% after new bar licenses are issu

The liquor business has been undergoing quantum changes in Andhra Pradesh ever since the Y S R Congress government began implementing phased prohibition, a promise the party made to women when it was in the Opposition.

Under its phased prohibition policy the government proposes to bring down the number of retail outlets and bars gradually to zero by the final year of its five-year term in 2024.

After reducing the number of retail outlets by 20 per cent to about 3,500 for the new excise year starting October, 2019, the government last week issued the orders to cut down on the number