Lucknow, June 16, 2026: The Uttar Pradesh Excise Department has completed the allotment of 506 new liquor shop licences across the state through a fully digitised e-lottery system, generating approximately ₹85 crore in revenue through processing fees alone. The initiative drew an overwhelming response, with 16,999 applications competing for the 506 available licences.
Country liquor shops dominated the allotment, accounting for 303 of the 506 licences roughly 60 per cent of the total. The remaining allotments comprised 193 composite shops selling foreign liquor and beer, 6 premium “Model Shops,” and 4 bhang (cannabis) outlets.
Rampur district emerged as the state leader in total allotments, securing 28 licences overall and also topping the country liquor segment with 22 individual shops. Deoria, Azamgarh and Bijnor followed closely, each receiving 26 shop allotments. Azamgarh recorded the highest concentration of composite retail licences at 17, while Bijnor and Gautam Buddha Nagar jointly led the premium segment with 2 Model Shop allotments each. Ambedkarnagar received the highest allocation of bhang outlets, with 3 licences sanctioned.
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A senior excise department official said the entire allotment process was conducted strictly through digital protocols, with no manual intervention permitted at any stage a measure designed to eliminate discretion and curb potential corruption in licence distribution.
The allotment data also revealed a clear geographical pattern in consumer demand. Rural districts showed stronger preference for country liquor outlets, while urban and semi-urban areas leaned more heavily towards composite retail shops offering foreign liquor and beer a trend that mirrors the broader consumption shift seen across Uttar Pradesh’s retail liquor network in recent years.
The 506 new licences are part of Uttar Pradesh’s broader excise expansion plan for 2026-27, under which the department has been adding shops across multiple districts to support its annual revenue target of ₹71,278 crore. With over 16,999 applicants competing for the available slots, the response underscores continuing investor interest in the state’s retail liquor trade despite signs of market saturation flagged by officials earlier this year.
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