July 11 – Starting September 1, all retail liquor shops in Jharkhand will operate under a new set of rules, as per the “Jharkhand Utpaad (Licensing and Operation of Retail Liquor Shops) Rules, 2025.” The state government has officially notified the policy, marking a major shift in how liquor is sold across the state.
Under the new system, the management of retail liquor shops will move from the government-run Jharkhand Beverage Corporation Limited (JSBCL) to private license holders, who will be selected through an online lottery. This change is aimed at increasing transparency, improving efficiency, and reducing the administrative workload on the government.
According to the notification issued on July 11, the new rules take effect immediately, but will be fully enforced from September 1, 2025. Until then, JSBCL will continue running liquor shops with the help of placement agencies.
However, due to staff shortages, many liquor shops are currently not operating. Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, General Secretary of the Jharkhand Liquor Traders’ Association, said the lack of liquor stock is temporary and caused by internal processes like inventory checks, formal handovers, and settling dues with suppliers. New orders have been placed, and normal operations are expected to resume soon.
The shop allocation process via lottery is expected to be completed by August 15, with new revenue targets and shop-wise sales benchmarks currently being finalized.
The updated rules have been sent to all district excise officers and local administrators to ensure smooth implementation.
