metro india news  I hyderabad

In a festive frenzy, Telangana's liquor sales crossed Rs 1,000 crore between September 28 and October 1, ahead of the Dasara celebrations. This surge not only eclipses previous years figures but also bolsters the state exchequer with vital revenue streams. The spike is attributed to tipplers' rush to buy drinks amid the Dasara-Gandhi Jayanti overlap on October 2, when all liquor and meat outlets mandatorily shut the shop, prompting bulk advance purchases to avert shortages.

The Excise Department reported daily peaks driven by heightened demand: Rs 260 crore on September 28, Rs 279 crore on September 29, Rs 301 crore on September 30, and a staggering Rs 320 crore on October 1, culminating in a two-day haul of ₹620 crore from the latter pair alone. 

This four-day blitz marks a sharp escalation from the previous years figures, outpacing the entire nine-day Dasara sales of ₹1,057 crore in 2023 and the ₹1,100 crore over ten days in 2024 (September 30 to October 11). For context, September 29 alone generated ₹278.66 crore, reflecting a steady climb from September 26 onward.

Contributing to the overall September 2025 tally of ₹2,715 crore, the period from September 1 to 29 saw the offloading of 26.71 lakh cases of liquor and 33.24 lakh cases of beer, underscoring robust wholesale and retail momentum. Districts in the erstwhile Rangareddy region led the charge, closely trailed by Karimnagar, Nalgonda, and Warangal, where local festivities amplified procurement.

Excise officials noted that households and event organizers stocked up for multi-day revelries—spanning the eve, the festival, and the aftermath—fueling a 20-30% uptick over baseline festive norms. "This isn't just sales; it's a testament to Telangana's vibrant spirit, where celebrations sustain economic vitality," an Excise Department source remarked, emphasizing the revenue's role in funding public welfare initiatives.

Looking back, Telangana's annual liquor revenues have ballooned from ₹10,000 crore in 2014-15 to a projected ₹34,600 crore for 2024-25, a compound growth mirroring the skyrocketing sales year after year. Yet, this Dasara prelude signals even loftier trajectories, with early indicators suggesting full-festival figures could breach ₹1,200 crore.