Hyderabad: Liquor brands with a maximum retail price (MRP) of less than Rs 200 became costly by Rs 20 to Rs 80 following orders of the state government on Thursday. The price of brands costing more than Rs 200 were increased in the range of Rs 40 to Rs 160.
Beer was made costlier by Rs 10 across all brands and bottle sizes, under the new orders. The orders stated that the revised prices were applicable even for stocks with old MRP printed on them.
Interestingly, the orders claimed that the price increase would lead to moderation in the consumption of liquor. This was seen to counter the criticism that the government had increased the prices to increase its revenues. The sudden price rise led to arguments between liquor shop dealers and consumers according to reports from several parts of the state.
Consumers refused to pay more than the MRP. Dealers struggled to convince them by displaying the government’s orders. The new price list is available on the website www.tsbcl.telangana.gov.in/ts/
Liquor prices were last increased in the state in May 2020. The orders stated that, “Strict action shall be initiated against dealers violating the MRP. Any such instance may be reported on toll free number 18004252523
