TheDeputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, announced on Monday that thelegal age to consume alcohol in the national capital will be soon reduced from25 to 21 in Delhi, the same as in Noida and Gurugram.
Afterthe suggestions of the group of ministers on the new excise policy was passedby the Delhi Cabinet on Monday, Sisodia said that all liquor shops in thenational capital will now be run by private vendors.
"TheDelhi government will not operate any liquor shops and all shops will be runthrough private vendors. A bidding process will be conducted soon. We havedecided not to increase the prices. No new liquor shops will be opened in thenational capital," he said.
Sisodia,who also holds the finance end education portfolios, said the government willensure that there is no open drinking in the market areas or near wine shops.
Atpresent, 60 per cent liquor shops in the national capital are run by the Delhigovernment, while the remaining 40 per cent are operated by private vendors.
"Wehave prepared for some major changes in the new excise policy which will beannounced soon. We are expecting that with the new excise policy, the Delhigovernment will witness an uptick in revenues," the Deputy CM said.