Thu Sep 25 16:08:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text followed by a news article rewrite:

**Summary:**

The Excise Department in Hyderabad, India, has announced the process for renewing retail liquor licenses (A4 shops) for the next two-year period (December 1, 2025 – November 30, 2027). The notification covers 2,620 retail outlets. The application fee has increased to ₹3 lakh. The allocation of shops will be determined by lottery. Retail Shop Excise Tax (RSET) will be divided into six slabs based on population. The government expects to generate significant revenue through excise tax and application fees. A percentage of outlets are reserved for applicants from specific communities (Goud, Scheduled Caste, and Scheduled Tribes).

**News Article:**

**Hyderabad Announces New Liquor License Lottery; Application Fees Increased**

**Hyderabad, September 25, 2025:** The Excise Department today issued the official notification for the renewal of retail liquor licenses (A4 shops) across the state for the period spanning December 1, 2025, to November 30, 2027. The announcement covers 2,620 outlets.

Potential retailers have until October 18th to submit their applications. A significant change this year is an increase in the non-refundable application fee, which has risen from ₹2 lakh to ₹3 lakh. Officials anticipate a substantial revenue influx from these fees, especially in high-demand areas like Saroornagar and Shamshabad, where multiple applications are expected.

The allocation of licenses will be determined through a lottery system, scheduled for October 23rd.

The Retail Shop Excise Tax (RSET) has been structured into a tiered system, based on the population of the area served by the outlet. The RSET ranges from ₹50 lakh for areas with populations up to 5,000, increasing to ₹1.1 crore for areas with populations exceeding 20 lakh. This system is expected to generate an estimated ₹1,310 crore for the government, with an additional ₹78.6 crore projected from application fees. A special RSET of ₹5 lakh per year will also be levied on each shop.

In an effort to promote inclusivity, the government has reserved 15% of the outlets for applicants from the Goud community, 10% for Scheduled Caste applicants, and 5% for Scheduled Tribe applicants. Applications under these categories will only be accepted from individuals belonging to the specified communities.

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