Finance Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda has already reviewed the budget with the Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department and other officials. The cabinet, including the Chief Minister, will deliberate before giving its final sanction.
Alongside the budget, the cabinet is expected to approve a new excise policy, effective from April 1. Under the revised policy, liquor licenses will be issued in small groups of 2 to 5 shops, with tenders processed accordingly. Around 1,000 such groups are expected across the state, with 25–30 groups likely in Bhopal. This will mark the first use of a computerised draw system to determine the sequence in which tendered groups are opened, replacing the earlier simultaneous tender process.
The policy will also revise conditions for hotel-bar and restaurant-bar licenses, reducing the minimum room requirement in hotels from 20 to 10. The government has clarified that no new shops or premises will be added; existing infrastructure will be used for license allocations. Currently, there are no plans to increase excise duty. The excise department aims to generate around ₹18,000 crore in revenue by March 31, with a projected 15–20% increase in the next financial year.
The new measures are expected to streamline licensing, improve transparency, and enhance revenue collection, while maintaining control over the existing retail structure for alcoholic beverages.
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