India, Feb. 7 -- The Uttar Pradesh cabinet has approved its excise policy for the fiscal 2025-26, with the document proposing several key changes, including "composite liquor shops" - which will merge beer and foreign liquor outlets into a single unit (the two were hitherto sold separately) - as well as boost tourism via the introduction of vineyards and microbreweries in the state.

The approval was made in a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday night.

The new UP excise policy will likely benefit the residents of Delhi - liquor stores in the Capital have faced a crisis of options and stock for more than two years, after the city's 2021-22 excise policy was rolled back in August 2022.

So far, customers ...