HYDERABAD: The cabinet sub-committee will submit its recommendations on the new excise policy to the chief minister in four days and the new liquor policy will be announced after obtaining Election Commission's clearance, excise minister K Parthasarathi has said.The new excise policy will come into force from July 1.According to reliable sources, the government is in favour of auction system and is contemplating increasing the number of retail outlets.There are about 6,596 retail shops across the state and the government is contemplating increase their number by up to 10 percent.There was a demand from some sections that there should at least be one retail outlet for a distance of 5 km or a population of 10,000 people, the minister said. It is learnt that the government is planning to sanction more retail outlets instead of allowing belt shops.The state government earns a revenue of `13,500 crore from liquor sale and is not ready to bear the burden of running the retail outlets itself.Speaking to mediapersons after a meeting of the subcommittee held here on Wednesday, the minister said opinions had been taken from various organisations such as liquor prohibition committee, retailers and manufacturers.The liquor prohibition committee sought priority to people's health and welfare, and government revenue in that order.It also said that illicit liquor should not be allowed to be sold and that there should be no MRP violation.Other organisations wanted closure of belt shops and transparency in the auction system.While retailers favoured the auction system, manufacturers wanted sale of liquor through government outlets.All the opinions would be taken into consideration and discussed by its members before the sub-committee submitted its final recommendations to chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, the minister said.
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