On January 25, 2025, the Government of Andhra Pradesh issued a notification under Rule 3(3) of the AP Excise (Grant of License of Selling by Shop and Conditions of License) Rules, 2024, reserving four shops for allotment to individuals from the Sondi Caste.
The government has outlined a detailed procedure and guidelines for the fair and transparent disposal of these reserved shops.
Key Points of the Notification:
Sondi Caste Population:
- The Sondi Caste population will be based on the Smart Pulse Survey, 2016 for the 13 erstwhile districts.
- The population data will be mapped for the new districts accordingly.
Exclusion from Scheduled Areas:
- No shops will be reserved for Sondi Caste in the Scheduled Areas of any district.
Distribution Among District Units:
- Reserved shops will be distributed based on the Shop-to-Population ratio (including Bars) in each unit of a district. The ratio will be used to allocate one shop per unit, as far as possible.
- The District Prohibition & Excise Officer will propose the unit-wise number of reserved shops to the Commissioner of Prohibition & Excise for approval.
Approval and Allocation Process:
- After the proposals are approved, the District Collector will conduct a draw of lots to allocate the reserved shops to individuals from the Sondi Caste in different units within the district.
Finalization and Notification:
- After the draw of lots, the District Prohibition & Excise Officer will submit the finalized proposals to the Commissioner, who will determine the number of reserved shops per unit before publishing the notification inviting applications.
Application Process:
- Applicants will be invited to apply for the reserved shops through an online, offline, or hybrid model.
- Caste and Nativity certificates must be submitted by applicants as proof of eligibility.
Non-refundable Application Fee:
- The application fee for each shop will be Rs. 2,00,000. Applicants can submit applications for multiple shops, but the fee applies to each application.
Eligibility:
- Only applicants whose caste and nativity certificates are recorded in the district’s reserved shops list are eligible to apply for those shops.
One Person, One License:
- To maximize benefits for the Sondi Caste community, each individual will be allowed to hold only one shop license.
- If an applicant is selected for more than one shop, they must choose one shop. The remaining shops will be reallocated to other reserve applicants.
Reduced RET for Reserved Shops:
- The annual Retail Excise Tax (RET) for the reserved shops will be 50% of the RET applicable to open-category shops.
License Duration:
- The licenses for the reserved shops will be valid until September 30, 2026.
Regulatory Framework:
- The AP Excise (Grant of License of Selling by Shop and Conditions of License) Rules, 2024 will govern the selection process, allotment, and administration of the reserved shops.
Timeline for Disposal:
- The Director of Excise and Prohibition is authorized to set the timeline for the disposal process, ensuring compliance with the rules.
Action by Authorities:
- The Director of Excise and Prohibition and Managing Director of APSBCL are tasked with taking necessary actions in accordance with these guidelines.
