Liquor stores in Noida go viral with ‘Buy 1 Get 1’ deals; ‘Will ED raid Yogiji too?’ asks AAP leader Atishi in Delhi

Liquor stores across Noida in Uttar Pradesh are offering discounts and special deals like ‘Buy one, Get One’, leading to a rush of tipplers outside the stores. The tempting deals will be available until March 31.

The liquor sellers have to finish the existing stock before Uttar Pradesh's new excise policy takes effect on April 1. At least 80 per cent of existing licence holders across the state will be replaced with new ones through an e-lottery system for liquor licence allocation, as per the new policy.

While March 25 saw BOGO (Buy One, Get One Free) offers, price cuts ranging from 40 per cent to 50 per cent were offered at several outlets across Noida on March 26.

Viral Videos on Social Media

Social media was flooded with videos and pictures of tipplers thronging liquor vends across Noida to make the most of the offers. The viral videos evoked political reactions in neighbouring Delhi.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Chief Minister Atishi slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and wondered if investigating agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED), would conduct raids at the office of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"I would like to ask the BJP whether it wants to make people of UP and people in adjoining states alcoholics. I would like to ask the central leadership of the BJP whether Yogi ji is implementing 'Buy 1 Get 1 free' with your approval. If he is not doing this with your approval, will the BJP take to the streets and oppose this?" asked Atishi, the Leader of Oppostion in Delhi Assembly.

Similar scenes in Delhi in 2022

Atishi was, perhaps, referring to similar scenes outside the liquor vends in Delhi in 2022 when the Delhi government under Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had opted for a similar offer after rolling out the new liquor policy.

"BJP had said that 'Buy 1 Get 1 free' means corruption. It means that there is a major scam. So, when will there be a CBI-ED raid at the office of Yogi ji...?, she said.

The BJP, then in opposition, had criticised the move of distributing ‘free’ liquor. In fact, the Delhi Liquor Policy was later withdrawn due to corruption charges. Top AAP leaders, including Kejriwal and his former deputy Manish Sisodia, went to jail in the alleged Delhi Liquor Policy case. The leaders are still facing the charges but are out on bail in the case.

What is the new UP Liquor Policy?

The new Uttar Pradesh Excise Policy, approved by Yogi Adityanath-led cabinet in February, introduces key changes, including 'composite liquor shops' where beer, liquor, and wine will be sold from a single unit, and all liquor shops in the state will be handled via an e-lottery system. The policy will be rolled out from April 1.

Liquor licences have been renewed until now. However, as per the new policy, the e-lottery system allows new entrants into the market.

Uttar Pradesh government has received 3,65,268 applications for the allotment of liquor retail shops, generating ₹1,987.19 crore in the processing fees so far, officials said on March 26.

Given the high demand for the allotment of 27,308 liquor shops through e-lottery, the government has extended the application deadline till 5 PM on March 27, UP Excise Commissioner Adarsh Singh was quoted as saying in a PTI report.

Under the new policy, the number of liquor shops in Noida has been reduced from 535 to 501. The revised numbers include 239 composite shops, 234 country liquor shops, 27 model shops, and one bhang shop.

Liquor stores in Noida typically sell around 10,000 beer bottles, 30,000 foreign liquor bottles, and 40,000 country liquor bottles daily, generating ₹3-4 crore in daily revenue. Owing to discounts, officials anticipate a 30-40 per cent surge in sales this week.

(With PTI inputs)