Lucknow: Facing pressure to meet its annual revenue goal, the Uttar Pradesh excise department has decided to add 489 new liquor shops to the existing network of retail vends across the state.Officials said the additional outlets will be opened in 43 districts, expanding a system that currently includes around 27,260 retail vends selling country liquor, Indian-made foreign liquor, beer and other alcoholic beverages.The move comes after the department collected about Rs 10,605 crore in April and May of the 2026-27 financial year.The state govt has set an excise revenue target of Rs 71,278 crore for the full year, requiring average monthly collections of roughly Rs 5,977 crore through duties and taxes linked to liquor sales.A senior excise department officer said the market is showing signs of saturation even as Uttar Pradesh has led the country in liquor-related revenue for the past three years.With growth slowing, the department is looking for additional avenues to raise collections, the officer said.The expansion is being carried out under provisions of the state excise policy, which allows the department to increase the number of retail liquor vends by up to 3% of the existing total after obtaining state govt approval.Field officials were asked to assess whether new shops were needed in developing areas or whether outlet density should be increased in specific districts.On Monday, excise commissioner Adarsh Singh issued a notification for 297 new country liquor shops, 190 composite shops and two model shops. The new vends will be allotted through an online draw and will be in addition to the current set of licensed outlets.District-wise, Rampur is set to receive the highest number of new vends, with 22 country liquor shops and six composite shops. Bijnor and Deoria will each get 25 additional vends, followed by Jalaun, where 22 new shops are planned. Officials said the rollout is intended to strengthen availability and support revenue mobilisation.
