Liquor ban is one among the biggest promises, Jagan made in his election manifesto. While several felt that the promise is just an election stunt, YSRCP government is now reviewing the issue and is planning to move forward with it.
Earlier, NTR was successful in banning the liquor, but after TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu got the power, he couldn’t handle the situation and had to lift the ban. Major source of revenue for any state government comes from the liquor. So no government would generally take risk by banning it.
Andhra Pradesh is already in a disastrous position, regarding the funds. At this point of time, if Jagan moves forward and ban the liquor, it would be tougher for him to handle the expenses.
But Jagan is planning to ban the liquor in phases and thus end up allowing only five star hotels by the time of the 2024 elections. If the new Chief Minister really succeeds in doing it, then it would add as a great credit to him and he will be identified as the 2nd CM to do it, after NTR.
But on the flip side, there are enough negative situations, Jagan is supposed to face after the ban. Firstly, he would lose the vote bank of those who sell and consume liquor. All of them would turn against him. Secondly, as of now, there are 4380 Liquor Shops in the state, out of which 16000 crore revenue can be generated. All such revenue should now be foregone and the government should think about the alternative ways to raise the revenue, so that the government fulfills the promises it made, in the manifesto.
Banning the liquor will encourage many to open the black market, which is enough to ruin all the good work of the state government. None of the states, who promised to ban liquor, were successful in implementing it till now. So it is really going to be extremely challenging for Jagan to deal with the sensitive issue like liquor.