No new liquor off shop in Odisha

The Odisha government has decided not to sanction any new liquor off-shop during 2024-25, under its new excise policy. This move is seen as a step towards controlling the proliferation of alcoholic beverage outlets in the state.

Furthermore, the Odisha government has prohibited dancing in bars but has permitted musical performances at bars. Additionally, no new on-shop will be permitted in villages of Odisha, thereby further tightening the rules on alcohol consumption in rural areas of the coastal state.

In a bid to boost tourism, the policy mandates that the Tourism Department of Odisha must grant approval for liquor sales at beaches and other tourism hotspots like eco-retreat, based on necessity and demand. The policy also introduces a fee structure for temporary on-shop licenses required for private events and/or functions. The fees are tiered based on the number of attendees, ranging from Rs 3,000 for up to 25 people to Rs 25,000 for gatherings of over 1,000 people.

To address operational inefficiencies and ensure the availability of popular and quality alcoholic beverages, the Odisha government has mandated the use of new brand labels for beer products. Regarding country liquor, the excise policy stated that selling units would be encouraged to produce low-strength country liquor.