Bhubaneswar, Aug 8: Odisha will see no new liquor shops opening in the future, announced Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Thursday, marking a significant policy decision.

Harichandan highlighted that the primary challenge for the Excise Ministry is to combat the sale of illegal liquor in the state. The goal is to eliminate the sale of untaxed liquor entirely.

To address this, new regulations will be introduced into the Odisha Excise policy. These regulations aim to identify and close loopholes in the current excise rules.

Previously, on June 15, the Odisha Information and Public Relations (I&PR) department clarified that reports of a total liquor ban in the state were false. The department emphasized that such news was baseless and had been widely circulated on social media.

More recently, on July 26, Social Security Minister Nityananda Gond mentioned that the Odisha government is considering a phased approach to implementing a liquor ban. Initial discussions will involve the Excise and other relevant departments to gradually introduce dry days.

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