Jharkhand allows private players to enter liquor retail

In a major policy shift, The Jharkhand cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal by the state excise and prohibitions department that will allow private players to operate retail liquor outlets in the state. The decision comes through the clearance of the Jharkhand Excise (Settlement and Operation of Shops for Retail Sale of Liquor) Rules, 2025.

While retail sales will now be privatised, wholesale operations will continue to be managed by the state-run Jharkhand State Beverages Corporation Limited (JSBCL). This move marks a departure from the policy adopted in 2019, under which JSBCL managed retail liquor sales across Jharkhand. The previous arrangement was discontinued after it failed to deliver the expected revenue outcomes.

Addressing the media after the cabinet meeting, Excise Secretary Manoj Kumar cited manpower constraints as one of the key reasons for the transition to a privatised retail model. He expressed hope that the new system would be implemented within a month.

On pricing, Kumar added that while around 500 brands of India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) are available in the market, there will be a marginal price hike in approximately 300 of them.