Hyderabad: Alcohol consumption is growing at the rate of 12 per cent, up from about five per cent in the last year, according to a study conducted by the excise department. Some of this increase is attributed to the government eliminating illicit liquor (gudumba) from the market, forcing consumers from lower income groups to switch to regular liquor.
The survey pegged the sale of alcohol during April-July this year at Rs 5,610 crore, an incre-ase of about Rs 1,000 crore over the same period in 2016. People bought 96.04 lakh cases of liquor, each case comprising 12 full bottles. The state had sold 85.47 lakh cases between April and July last year. Data showed that men in the middle-age bracket of 45-59 year consu-med more liquor. It said that the consumption of alcohol among youngsters in TS was 5.1 per cent, lower than the 5.5 per cent recorded in AP.
Another key finding was that men living in rural areas consumed more alcohol than their urban counterparts. The trend reverses among men above 60 years of age. It said that two per cent of total consumers used to be addicts, which has gone up to four per cent now. The government had announced the setting up of de-addiction centres in all district headquarters to discourage alcohol consumption. However, it remains only on paper.
