HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday said there is a need to make foreign liquor brands available in star hotels in the city following the new industrial policy announced by the Telangana state  government.

He said the policy would encourage more investments from other states and countries as a result of which top industrialists, CEOs and others, would visit Hyderabad frequently.

There is a need to ensure foreign liquor brands to service such high-profile visitors.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said that with the state attracting more investment and therefore high-profile industrialists, CEOs and others, there is a need to ensure foreign liquor brands in star hotels in the city

It is mandatory for star hotels to take permission from the state to serve foreign liquor. Though all star hotels have approvals to serve foreign liquor, only a limited number of brands are available.

This is because, the State Breweries Corporation Ltd procures only limited foreign brands from other countries, which are being supplied to star hotels and liquor shops.

Besides, the supplies of foreign brands to star hotels have been hit for the last six months as the state did not enhance the price of foreign liquor in accordance with the dollar value.

With this, the purchases by SBCL stopped leading to shortage of foreign brands in the market and hotels.

The CM said that the SBCL should procure more foreign brands popular among high-profile visitors and supply the same to star hotels. He said there is an urgent need to eradicate the menace of gudamba (illicitly distilled liquor) and directed officials of the excise department to frame an effective and stringent policy. Mr Rao held a meeting with excise minister T. Padma Rao and officials to discuss the impact of spurious liquor in the state.