Call it a co-incidence, but only yesterday I wrote an article about liquor (alcohol) and today I'm writing about Alcohol & drinking once again.

That said, the latest data from Uttarakhand Excise Department (Aabkari Vibhag) once again proves that "there's NO inflation for Tipplers in Uttarakhand". They are gulping in more value of liquor with each passing year.

[The Hindi word for Tippler can be 'Piyakkad' meaning to drink (alcoholic liquor) or engage in drinking, especially habitually or to excess]

To understand what I mean, have a look at the numbers below:

Money value of liquor sold everywhere in Uttarakhand: Rs 2000 crore

[This is enough money to set up 62, 110 bed hospitals in the Uttarakhand. It should be noted that a District level 110 bed hospital in Uttarakhand over all costs Rs 32 crore to the government. Data Hindustan.]

Number of liquor Bottles sold in Uttarakhand every year: 10 crore

[It should be noted that these are Government Data. If one includes the liquor coming to the state via trafficking & illegally; then the number of bottles will be much higher than the above number. But since approximately 1.5 crore tourists visit Uttarakhand every year; hence it can be assumed that only 10 crore bottles are being consumed by Uttarakhand residents. Anything above this is consumed by the tourists.]

[If the population of Uttarakhand is 1 crore; and half of these are adults, then an adult in Uttarakhand is drinking 20 bottles of liquor in 12 months. This makes for about 1 and a half bottle per month.]

Liquor Sale in Hotels:

3,71,421 bottles English Liquor (3.71 Lakh bottles)

22,99,495 Beer Bottles (23 Lakh bottles)

Liquor Sale in various CSD Canteens:


1,02,67,661 bottles English Liquor (1.03 Lakh crore)

7, 68, 640 Beer Bottles (7.69 Lakh bottles)


Money value of liquor sold everywhere in Uttarakhand in 2010: Rs 842 crore

[Thus year on year growth on Liquor sale in Uttarakhand is 138 percent i.e. much more than double.]

[In 2009 we wrote an article on the Tipplers in Uttarakhand. At that time the annual liquor sale revenue in Uttarakhand was Rs 501 crore. If compared with 2008, the growth is 300% i.e.the liquor sale increased three times in the past 3 years.]

Your taste decided where you chose to put the money (your pocket is deciding factor as well):

Country made Liquor (Desi sharab): 2,66,82, 243 (2.67 crore) litres

Foreign Made Liquor (English Sharab): 2,49,77,591 (2.5 crore) litres

Beer (Thandi Beer): 1,64,04, 358 (1.64 crore) litres

How Accessible is Liquor in Uttarakhand:



Country made Liquor (Theka Desi Sharab) shops: 253

Foreign Made Liquor (English Wine Shop) shops: 235

Total shops: 488

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Any kind of intoxication among society is a stress buster for people; and can't be compared with "Money required for hospitals". if one treats the money spent on leisure activities like drinking with wastefulness; then the money spent on cosmetic products (make-up products) by women will be a much higher wastefulness. But, the good thing is both are not. Each gender has its own stress busting methods.

The problem arises when people drink irresponsibly. And for that Government and the society has every right to speak out.

As far as drinking is concerned; if you know how to behave after your two pegs and are not a Tippler. It's alright.


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