UP on generating alco-beverage business

The state of UP has taken several praise-worthy initiatives in the recent past to promote its alco-beverages industry, which has contributed to its exchequer handsomely and generated employment opportunities.

It was informed by Sanjay R. Bhoosreddy, Additional Chief Secretary, Sugar Industry & Cane Development and Excise of UP, that in the last four years 31 new distilleries had been established in UP under the co-operative and private sectors. With the establishment of these distilleries a total of 14,416.75 lakh KL of alcohol has been permitted for production, with an estimated investment of about Rs. 5,477.23 crores. This initiative will provide direct employment opportunities to about 8,267 people.

Moreover, during the last four years, permission was given to 18 new distilleries in UP to produce alcohol, in which production of 9,677.05 lakh KL alcohol has began and 5,882 youths have got employment.

Besides that, in UP 21 entrepreneurs of hotel and restaurant business in the districts of Noida, Ghaziabad, Agra, Bareilly and Lucknow have been issued license for setting up microbrewery. Coming up of so many microbreweries, which is a barley-based industry, is expected to have a favourable effect in the production of barley, which is in turn expected to indirectly benefit the farmers of UP.

In the recently held Global Investor Summit, investments worth about 31,000 crores have been received in UP, from 78 investors from alcohol and molasses-based industries. This huge investment is expected to generate 1,11,000 employment opportunities directly or indirectly in various service sectors.

The ethanol production in UP has also increased from 42.69 crore liters in 2016-17 to 133.29 crore liters during 2022-23.