Lucknow:, Feb. 7 -- The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to break the hold of the liquor cartel and paved the way for the entry of new players in the liquor trade by opting not to renew existing licences under the excise policy for 2025-26.

Uttar Pradesh excise minister Nitin Agarwal said, "Along with the breaking the hold of the liquor cartel, the state government has made the move to allot shops through e-lottery and open the door for new players."

The dominance of the liquor syndicate in Uttar Pradesh is not new. In the 1990s, liquor players like Badri Prasad Jaiswal, Jawahar Lal Jaiswal, Tilak Raj Sharma and Har Prasad Jaiswal had a firm grip on the liquor trade in Uttar Pradesh.

With money power and political protection, the s...