In an unprecedented move, Uttarakhand’s Pushkar Singh Dhami government has tweaked its excise policy to allow setting up small distillery units and bottling foreign liquors for the time in higher Himalayan reaches.

Outsiders cannot get wholesale liquor licences, only Uttarakhand natives and permanent residents can avail the same.

The Dhami Cabinet on Wednesday ratified a new liquor policy for 2024, paving way to set up micro distillery units in the hills for the first time. According to the government, distillery units to be set up in hill areas will be categorised as micro industries and compatible with environmental standards.

State excise department officials informed that production of quality liquor in the distilleries operated in Uttarakhand, will on one hand increase the revenue while on the other, the utilisation of plants and herbs grown in the state will generate new sources of income for the horticulture farmers.

“The new liquor policy further aims at developing the state as a hub of manufacturing world class aromatic liquor from the quality herbs, fruits and flowers produced in the healthy Himalayan climate with clean water and environment. This will also help Uttarakhand emerge as an international class malt and liquor producer akin to Scotland, Italy and other European nations known for quality liquor manufacturing,” said a government spokesperson after the cabinet meeting.

The Dhami government for the first time included the provision of bottling foreign liquor to transform Uttarakhand from being a consumer state to a producer-cum-exporter state. Also, the wholesale licence FL-2 for Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) will be awarded only to the permanent residents of Uttarakhand.

Another important feature of the new liquor policy is mandatory bulk licence FL-2 (O) for overseas liquor importers through custom bonds. Apart from this keenu, malta, kafal, apple, pear, peach and other crops grown by horticulture farmers in the hill areas will have to be procured by the country liquor-makers planning to set up micro distillery units.