Delhi government has started formal preparations towards bringing a new excise policy. To prepare the draft of this policy, a committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Public Works Department Minister Pravesh Verma. This committee will work on making liquor sale and availability in the capital transparent, consumer friendly and data based. The objective of the new policy is to remove the shortcomings of the old system and to provide better facilities to consumers through modern technology.

What can be special in the new excise policy?

According to sources, in the proposed new excise policy, consumers can be given the facility of pre-booking their favorite liquor brand. This will mean that customers will be able to book a particular brand in advance. With this, they will not have to face uncertainty regarding availability by going to the store. It is believed that this system will be especially useful for those brands whose demand is high.

Government will have data of brand availability and demand

The draft policy may also include a provision that if many customers search for a particular brand and it is not available, the information will directly reach the government. This will help in understanding which brands are in greater demand. On the basis of this data, the government will be able to give instructions to make the concerned brand available at the store.

App based system and complaint redressal facility

Sources say that the government is working on a plan to launch a special mobile application. Through this app, customers will be able to see the availability of the brand at their nearby stores and make pre-booking. All liquor shops will be mapped on the app and they will have to update their stock information regularly.

This will also reveal which brands are most popular. The app will also have a separate grievance redressal section for customers, where they can register their problems. Quoting sources, it has also been told that this draft policy can be made public for public opinion and suggestions by January 2026. After this, the policy will be finalized on the basis of feedback received.

A big discussion has started about the new excise policy of the Delhi government. The government has received such a suggestion that the legal minimum age of drinking beer should be reduced from 25 years to 21 years. At present, no final decision has been taken on this, but with this step, the rules of buying and selling liquor in Delhi and its surrounding cities may be the same.

The legal age of buying and drinking liquor in Delhi is 25 years, which is the highest in the whole country. At the same time, this age is fixed at 21 years in cities of NCR like Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad.

Due to this difference, youths under 25 years of age of Delhi often go to neighboring cities and buy liquor. This causes revenue loss to the Delhi government. For this reason, it has been suggested that the minimum age of beer should be reduced to 21 years in the new policy.

High level committee formed

A high level committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Pravesh Verma. This committee is taking opinion from liquor makers, retailers and other stakeholders. No final decision has been taken yet.

According to officials, the aim of the government is to increase revenue from excise, but at the same time it will also be seen that the general public should not face any problem.

Strictness of shops will also be strict

Not only on reducing age, but also the new policy will be strict on the location of liquor shops. It is proposed that liquor shops should not be set up near crowded areas, school-colleges, religious places and residential colonies. Apart from this, it is also proposed to facilitate liquor shops in malls and supermarkets. This will provide more transparent and convenient arrangements to people.

Focus on both revenue and convenience

A senior government official says that the aim of the new excise policy is not just to increase tax, but also to ensure that the common people do not have inconvenience. While reducing age limit, revenue can increase, while the difference between Delhi and NCR will also end.

If the minimum age of beer in Delhi is reduced to 21 years, then thousands of youth will not have to move to neighboring cities. With this, Delhi can get additional revenue of crores of rupees.

However, objections can also be raised by social organizations, because they believe that alcohol available at a young age is not good for both health and society.