Vijayawada: The govt has issued guidelines to issue 10% of liquor shop licenses to the toddy tapper community. About 335 shops will be spared for the community based on their population in each district. All shops will be allotted through drawing of lots. The decision was taken keeping chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu‘s promise to the community, who previously depended on toddy sales for their livelihood.
“Geetha Kulalu (toddy tapper) population will be based on the Smart Pulse Survey of 2016 for 13 erstwhile districts while the population shall be mapped for 26 new districts. There shall be no shops reserved for Geeta Kulalu in the scheduled areas of any district. Ten percent shops over and above the open category shops are already notified in each district,” said MK Meena, principal secretary (excise).
He said the shops reserved for each district shall be distributed among the constituent units of the district based on the shop-to-population ratio (including bars) for each unit in the district where the ratio is high, restricting to one shop per unit as far as possible. The district prohibition and excise officer will submit proposals to the commissioner proposing unit-wise number of reserved shops. The commissioner, after making necessary enquiry as deemed fit, will approve the unit-wise number of reserved shops.
Subsequently, the district collector, by draw of lots, will make allocation of reserved shops subcaste-wise in different units in the district. The applicants for reserved shops shall be required to submit caste and nativity certificate issued by the competent authority.
