KAKINADA: It was a nerve-wracking experience for many of those who have applied for liquor shops, at lottery venues in Godavari districts on Monday when officials started the allotment process.
Notably, many middle-class people applied for liquor shops. After completing the process for the shops, the winners were in high spirits while the losers were deeply upset. Some of those who applied for several shops got one or two, which was “small comfort.”
During the YSRC term, the government was selling liquor through state-run outlets. The present TD-led government, in a major policy shift, invited private parties to sell liquor.It was made clear that the allotment of liquor shops would be done through a lottery system.
In Kakinada district, the officials received 3,332 applications for 155 shops. The government got Rs 66.64 crore from applicants by way of non-refund deposits when the lottery process was completed for 155 shops on Monday.
In West Godavari district, the officials processed 5,627 applications for 175 liquor shops. The revenue earnings from this process was Rs 112.54 crore. The lottery winners paid Rs 19.25 crore as licence fees, said district collector Chadalavada Nagarani.
In Konaseema district, the officials received 4,087 applications for 133 shops. The shops were allotted through the lottery system.
In Eluru district, dollector Vetri Selvi said 5,449 applications were received for 144 liquor shops. The allotments were made for all these shops.
East Godavari collector Prashanthi said 4384 applications were received by the district administration for 125 liquor shops — 35 applications for each shop on an average for the 2024-2026 period.
The applicants who did not get the allotment were crest-fallen, as they lost money and gained nothing.
A not-well-off individual from Pithapuram Rural mandal, working in a private company, told the Deccan Chronicle that he and his friend filed two applications by paying Rs 2 lakh each. But they did not win the lottery. “I had borrowed money at high interest rates. We burnt our fingers,” he said.
A group from Tallarevu submitted 80 applications separately, out of which they managed to get five shops. This was a bad bargain, we cannot recoup the money we spent,” they said.
N Satya Veni and N Upendra said that they would set up the shops in busy places where more people consume liquor. Another aspirant, Venu Gopal, said that his team submitted 40 applications but got only one shop, in Peddapuram mandal.