No new liquor shops planned in J&K: Govt
The government on Saturday said that no proposal to open new liquor shops was under consideration.
Furnishing figures of liquor sales depicting substantial revenue generated across districts, it said that all licenses for liquor shops had been issued to domiciles of J&K.
The information was divulged through a written reply to a question by MLA Arjun Singh Raju.
To the inquiry regarding the opening of liquor shops, the reply issued by Finance Department, J&K Government, said, ìAs of now there is no proposal to open new JKEL-2 liquor licenses during the financial year 2026ñ27.î
It said that the revenue for year 2023-24, for all districts was Rs 1058 crore.
The government said that this revenue reached Rs 1090 crore in 2024-25, taking the total revenue generated from liquor sales in J&K in the past years to nearly Rs 2200 crore.
The government also furnished district-wise revenue generated from existing wine shops over the last two financial years – 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Over the year, there has been a steady rise in revenue of liquor sales.
The highest revenue contributor is district Jammu with Rs 483.50 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 509.14 crore in 2024-25.
District Udhampur is the second highest liquor revenue generator with Rs 113.22 crore in 2023-24 and 120.62 crore in 2024-25.
Other districts across Jammu and Kashmir also recorded increase of revenue.
Kathua recorded an increase from Rs 106.53 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 112.72 crore in 2024-25, Samba from Rs 91.38 crore to Rs 97.40 crore, and Rajouri from Rs 48.06 crore to Rs 53.37 crore.
In the Kashmir division, liquor revenue in Srinagar rose from Rs 54.90 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 65.58 crore in 2024-25.
Anantnag nearly touched the Rs 20 crore mark in 2024-25, substantially higher from Rs 14.04 crore during the previous year. Baramulla, Kupwara, and Ganderbal also witnessed increase in liquor revenue.
The Finance Department, while responding to concerns over irregularities in the issuance of licenses, said, ìNo such complaints have been receivedî regarding the grant of Benami licenses.
ìAll licenses are issued to domiciles of J&K as per the Excise Act, 1958, and the Excise Policy notified from time to time,î the reply said
