Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has shot down the proposal of giving licences for bars in Nagar Panchayats. However, Mr Naidu has agreed to relax the condition that the existing bars should have their own parking place. The CM on Monday discussed about the new bar policy with the senior officials. After suggesting some changes, Mr Naidu approved the new bar policy and it will be implemented from January 1, 2016.
Chief Minister told the officials if the licences are given to open bars in Nagar Panchayats, the government would get bad image. The officials proposed five slabs in license fee in the new bar policy, but Mr Naidu asked them to reduce it to three slabs. The extension period of bar licences will come to an end on November 30.
The officials said that it was not possible to implement the new bar policy from December 1. It will take over 10 days to complete the entire process, they said. The government will extend the period of bar licence for one more month, till December- end.
At present there are over 700 bars in the state. The government has increased application fee from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.
In the new bar policy the government will get additional revenue of about Rs 50 crore. In December, the Excise department will call for applications for bars in the state. If more than one application is received for a bar through lottery, the officials will decide as to whom the licence should be given.
In the new bar policy the officials listed out a condition that the every bar should have its own parking place. Some senior police officials told the Chief Minister that in some municipalities it was not possible for bars to have their own parking place. The CM, then decided to give relaxation to this condition. Excise officials said that the new bar policy will be implemented from January 2016.
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