Lower drinking age, say liquor traders

Anticipating a review of excise policy for Delhi in the near future, the liquor industry yesterday sought an end to "licence raj" and favoured encouragement to consumption of beer at restaurants in the Capital besides lowering of legal drinking age to 18 from 21 years.

The All-India Brewer's Association claimed consumption of beer in the Capital was much less than high-alcohol drinks, which needed to be increased in tune with the changing lifestyle of the metro.

"The share of beer is low compared to total distilled spirits like Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and country liquor, which effectively means that consumers are taking drinks with high alcohol content," the association said in a statement here.

Citing that the per capita consumption of beer in Delhi was 3.3 litres a year annum, which was below Bangalore (3.7) and Hyderabad (10.7), the association suggested that restaurants in the Capital be allowed to sell beer or wine as in Maharashtra.

This could be allowed against a "reasonable" licence fee of Rs 25,000, which it claimed was the break-even level on normal expected sales.

It also recommended that the number of liquor licences issued be increased from the current 465 to 2,000 to bring the number of outlets in the Capital with respect to its population at par with other metros.

The stipulated size for a private liquor shop should also be reduced to 500 sq feet from 1,000 sq feet, it said.