NOB- Amaravati news: The new liquor policy has come into force in AP from 16.10.2024. Under the new policy, wine shops will open on 16.10.2024 at 10 am and the timings of liquor shops will be from 10 am to 10 pm, the government has announced.The government, which recently invited applications for liquor shop licences, on 14.10.2024 disclosed the list drawn through lottery. The new liquor policy in AP will come into effect from 16.10.2024.The government says that alcohol will be sold at a low price. The government has announced that digital payments, which have not been available for the past five years, have now been made available. It said that digital payments have increased in the state after the coming of the coalition government.With that, the coalition government put a check on the cash payment problem. The government has warned the liquor shop managers to strictly follow the rules, otherwise action will be taken. Allotment of liquor shops was done on 14.10.2024. While 89,882 applications were received for 3,396 shops, officials under the direction of the Collectors held a lottery and announced the winners of the liquor shops on October 14^th 2024. Along with threats to the winners of the liquor shops, there was a campaign that the winners of the liquor shops were kidnapped in some places.CM Chandrababu warned that there is no way to interfere with the allocation of liquor shops, which was conducted very transparently by the AP government. CM Chandrababu directed the authorities to take necessary steps to run the liquor shops without any fear. Meanwhile, the government has announced that it will impose 2 percent cess on the sale of liquor. The revenue from this scheme is used by the government for setting up narcotic control measures, de-addiction and rehabilitation centres.