Hans News Service Vijayawada

TheAndhra Pradesh government has announced a new Excise Policy under which bar licences will be granted to beach shacks along the State’s coastline, aiming to promote coastal tourism, generate employment, and create a transparent regulatory framework for tourism-linked enterprises.

The policy, which will be effective from September 1, 2026, to August 31, 2029, follows recommendations made by the Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted to review and reform the State’s excise policies. The government has approved detailed guidelines for the establishment and operation of bars in beach shacks and notified the same through an Extraordinary Gazette issued on Wednesday.

Andhra Pradesh has a coastline stretching over 975 kilometres across 12 coastal districts, offering significant potential for tourism development. Although a regulatory framework for beach shacks was introduced in 2016, no licences were issued and the policy lapsed in 2022. The new policy seeks to revive the concept with stronger safeguards and clear operational guidelines.

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