New Dehli: The government on Monday substituted its 2009 version of excise policy with a new one reducing the minimum age for drinking from 25 to 21, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia informed on Monday. He said the Delhi government is expecting an increase of at least 20 per cent in its annual excise revenue with the move.

Sisodia said the state government will not run liquor stores. He also declared that no new liquor shops will be opened here. Sisodia during a press conference in Delhi said, “The new excise policy was permitted by the Cabinet on the basis of the recommendations of the Group of Ministers. It was decided that no new liquor shops will be allowed to open in Delhi and the government will not run any liquor shops. At present, 60 per cent liquor shops in Delhi are run by the government.”

He also said that reforms will end the role of the liquor mafia in Delhi. “Liquor mafia run 2,000 illegal stores here while there 850 liquor stores authorised by the government. In the last two years, more than 7 lakh illegal liquor bottles have been seized while 1,939 people arrested," he informed.

While many Delhities welcomed the new liquor reform, several others expressed concern that reduced legal age for drinking would endorse ‘alcoholism’ among college-going students.

As Delhi reduces legal drinking age to 21, we take a look at the age rules in other states. Here is a list of legal drinking age in some of the states and UTs

· Chandigarh (UT) – 25

· Punjab - 25

· Haryana - 25

· Uttar Pradesh – 21

· Uttarakhand – 21

· Jammu and Kashmir - 21

· Ladakh - 21

· Delhi – 21

· West Bengal – 21

· Madhya Pradesh - 21

· Maharashtra - 21 (beer/wine), 25 (hard liquor)

· Himachal Pradesh - 18

· Rajasthan – 18

· Sikkim – 18

· Meghalaya - 18

One must know that sale of alcohol is banned in states namely, Bihar, Manipur, Mizoram, Gujarat and Tripura.