India, May 6 -- The Haryana cabinet on Monday approved a sweeping new excise policy for 2025-27 aimed at reining in aggressive liquor marketing and bringing taverns - ahatas - under stricter control. The policy introduces major reforms designed to curb unlawful commercialisation of liquor zones, plug revenue leakages, and restore regulatory grip over a sector that has long operated in grey areas.

To restrict aggressive marketing, the government has banned liquor signage and advertisements near highways and mandated that vends be fully hidden from public view. Meanwhile, the minimum distance between liquor shops and sensitive sites such as schools, colleges, religious places, and bus stands has been doubled from 75 metres to 150 metres. ...