The 19 religious cities, towns, and large villages where the liquor ban will come into effect from the next financial year (April 1, 2025) include one municipal corporation (Ujjain), six Nagar Palikas, six Nagar Parishads, and six large Gram Panchayats.Other prominent religious cities and towns where the ban on liquor vends will take effect from April 1 include Mandsaur, Panna, Multai, Datia, Chitrakoot, Mandelshwar, Maheshwar, Omkareshwar, Orchha, Amarkantak, Salkanpur, Mandla, Maihar, Barman (Narsinghpur), Kundalpur, and Bandakpur (Damoh district).According to sources, the closure of more than 45 liquor vends in these 19 religious cities and towns will result in a revenue loss of approximately Rs 450 crore for the state exchequer.Sources also noted that around 12-15 per cent of the state’s non-tax revenue is generated from alcohol sales. The excise department’s revenue in 2023 reportedly stood at Rs 13,590 crore, which was about 5 per cent higher than the Rs 13,005 crore recorded in 2022.Although total prohibition has remained a distant dream in the state for decades, it has been a key political issue for more than 30 years.
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