Bhopal | The Madhya Pradesh government has released the notification of the new liquor policy on Wednesday. According to the new policy, now cheap beer and liquor will not be sold in the bar. The minimum price for liquor and beer has been fixed. Similarly, shops have been given permission to sell imported liquor. Along with this, no shopkeeper can refuse to sell liquor of any brand.

The contract for 3605 composite liquor shops in all the districts of the state will be done according to the small groups prevalent in the last year 2022-23.

The composite shop groups on which applications for renewal will not be received, on those groups, applications thorough lottery will be sought from other interested eligible applicants at the fixed reserve price.

All liquor shops in the state will be composite shops. Means, both country and foreign liquor can be sold there.

Liquor shops can be opened at 9.30 am and liquor can be sold only till 11.30 pm. The timing of sale of English liquor in the premises under restaurant, hotel, resort or club bar license will be from 10 am to 11.30 pm. At the same time, the time for consumption i.e. drinking will be till 12 o'clock in the night.

Licenses can be given for English liquor counters at Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Gwalior airports. Liquor Shops will be closed on three dry days. In these, shops will remain closed on August 15 Independence Day, Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti October 2 and Republic Day January 26.

Liquor made from grapes produced in the state has been allowed to be sold. The franchisee or authorised person will also be allowed to have a retail outlet at every district headquarters or tourist place as per the earlier conditions for which an annual license fee of Rs 10,000 will be charged.

Congress workers demonstrate in support of the State Government employees demanding regularisation, implementation of old pension scheme, promotion and dearness allowance, in Bhopal on Thursday.