MP News: Liquor Shops Near Religious Sites Earn 18% More

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Despite the ban on the sale of liquor from April 2025 in six districts having 19 religious and holy sites, the contract amount increased by 18.96% in 2025–26 compared to 2024–25, the state government said in a written reply to a question raised by Congress MLA Pratap Grewal on Wednesday.

The MLA stated that there was an increase of 28.13% in Panna district and 20.73% in Ujjain district while the revenue of the state increased by 8%.

In Alirajpur district, consumption of foreign liquor and beer increased by 13.25 times (1325%) in 2024-2025 compared to 2020-2021 and by 10.5 times (1050%) compared to 2023-2024. The Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda informed the House.

The Congress legislator said that the consumption of country liquor, masala and plain, increased from 13.31 crore bulk liters in 2020-2021 to 22.21 crore in 2024-2025, a 67% increase. Consumption of foreign liquor and beer increased from 13.67 crore in 2020-2021 to 22.21 crore in 2024-2025.

The total volume of liquor increased from 26.97 crore bulk litres to 45.81 crore bulk litres in 2024-25, a growth of 73%.

The total volume of Indian and foreign liquor increased from 23.63 crore bulk litres in 2024-25. The amount received increased from Rs 10,695.6 crore to Rs 13,912.25 crore. During this period, the total consumption increased by 70% and the income by 30%.