Neera To Be Promoted Through Star Hotels, Licenses For Microbreweries In Feb
In an informal chat with media persons at his chambers in the Assembly premises on Friday, excise minister Jupally Krishna Rao said the government intended to take neera beyond dedicated outlets: Reports
HYDERABAD: The state government is drawing up a plan to promote ‘neera’, the sap extracted from palmyra and date palm trees, through star hotels, positioning it as a healthy energy drink while simultaneously ensuring sustainable livelihoods for the toddy tappers’ community. The government has also decided to grant fresh licenses in February for setting up microbreweries across the state.
In an informal chat with media persons at his chambers in the Assembly premises on Friday, excise minister Jupally Krishna Rao said the government intended to take neera beyond dedicated outlets. He said talks would be held with representatives of star hotels to work out operational and commercial modalities, including sourcing, storage and pricing, to ensure wider reach without compromising quality.
He noted that a ‘Neera café’ had been operational at PVNR Marg (Necklace Road) here since May 2023. The outlet offers packaged neera bottles stored under controlled temperatures and a range of value-added products such as jaggery and palm honey. Officials believe that branding neera as a health drink through reputed hotels will create new markets and strengthen the palm economy.
Parallelly, the excise department has received 106 applications for setting up microbreweries after the policy was introduced statewide. Of these, 99 applications have come from within the Telangana Core Urban Region (up to ORR limits). Karimnagar and Khammam have seen two applications each, while Kothagudem, Mahabubnagar and Warangal have received one application each.
Microbrewery units are permitted within municipal corporation limits and can be set up in hotels and restaurants holding licences such as 2B bars, elite bars, C1 clubs and TD-1 and TD-2 categories. The excise department had invited applications with a prescribed fee of ₹1 lakh. About 18 microbrewery units are operating in GHMC limits, and the government aims to expand their presence across the state in a regulated manner.
The minister said licences are expected to be issued in February, after scrutiny of applications, and successful applicants will be given a six-month deadline to establish their units. He added that both initiatives reflect the government’s attempt to balance traditional livelihoods with modern hospitality-driven growth.
