Delhi may lower beer drinking age from 25 to 21

Delhi is among the states with higher age limits, while several other states, including neighbouring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh

The Delhi government is considering lowering the permissible drinking age for beer in the Capital from 25 to 21 – one of many suggestions being contemplated by a high-level committee headed by minister Parvesh Verma, which is drafting the new policy, officials aware of the matter said.

The government intends to boost excise revenue through policy interventions, as officials cited that Delhi people prefer to buy liquor from neighbouring NCR cities. (Representative photo/REUTERS)

Delhi is among the states with higher age limits, while several other states, including neighbouring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, stipulate a minimum drinking age limit of 21 years. Goa, at the other end of the spectrum, has a minimum drinking age of 18. To be sure, Punjab and Maharashtra have a minimum drinking age of 25.

“An initial draft is being prepared by the department for which we have consulted multiple stakeholders and have also received independent suggestions. We are discussing lowering the permissible drinking age to 21, which has been suggested by many groups, especially for beer. We are hoping that the final policy with all the changes will be ready in the next four months,” an official aware of the committee’s deliberations said on condition of anonymity.

The government intends to boost excise revenue through policy interventions, as officials cited that Delhi people prefer to buy liquor from neighbouring NCR cities, which is causing an annual loss of around ₹4,000- ₹4,500 crore. At present, Delhi earns ₹8,000 annually and it aims to earn ₹12,000 crore, officials said. Retail liquor business in Delhi is currently controlled by four corporations of the Delhi government that run over 700 shops in different parts of the city.

Officials said that the government is also looking to improve the liquor shopping experience and increase the availability of brands by offering relatively higher profit margins. Currently, distributors earn a fixed profit per bottle, irrespective of the cost. This may now change to a hybrid model, allowing for a percentage share, they said.

“In neighbouring cities, consumers get supermarket-style air-conditioned liquor vends with large spaces and displays, while most of the vends here are like a hole in the wall. Also, many of the brands are not even available here anymore, mostly because the distributors are not profiting,” a second official aware of the matter said.

Officials said that besides checking the monopoly of brands, the distribution of liquor vends may also be rationalised. Liquor stores may be moved out of residential areas to commercial and institutional areas, malls, district centres and markets.

Officials said that while there are several malls across Delhi, there are just 14 liquor stores located in malls, primarily because of the high rent. “We are planning on cracking down on brand pushing and will ensure that the brands readily available across the country are available in Delhi too,” the second official said.

Delhi’s current excise framework is based on a policy last overhauled in 2010. In 2021, the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government attempted a sweeping revamp that privatised liquor retail and introduced discounts and modernised stores, but the policy was scrapped after allegations of irregularities.

The resulting political fallout led to arrests of several top AAP leaders, including former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. The 2021-22 policy was rolled back in August 2022, after Delhi lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. Since then, only government-run liquor outlets have been operational in the city. A stopgap policy, currently extended till March 2026, has been in force since September 2022 to maintain continuity of supply.