FILE PHOTO: Bottles of alcoholic beverages are displayed on shelves at a liquor store
Hyderabad : Telangana has once again emerged as the country’s highest alcohol-consuming large state, with nearly one in every two adult men reporting alcohol use, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6). As many as 43.9% of men aged 15 years and above in Telangana reported consuming alcohol in NFHS-6, more than double the national average of 18.9%. In NFHS-5, 50% of men aged 15-49 years in Telangana reported consuming alcohol, compared with the national average of 22.4%. Among major states, Rajasthan followed Telangana with 42.2% of men reporting alcohol consumption, while Chhattisgarh stood at 38.3%. Telangana’s figure was 1.7 percentage points higher than Rajasthan’s and 5.6 percentage points above Chhattisgarh’s. The gap with the national average was even more striking at 25 percentage points. Alcohol consumption was reported by 46.6% of rural men, compared with 36.3% of urban men. The 10.3 percentage-point difference suggests that rural Telangana is the primary driver of the state’s high overall consumption rate. Telangana recorded alcohol consumption among 7.1% of women aged 15 years and above, sharply higher than the national average of 1.1%. Only Rajasthan, at 19.9%, reported a significantly higher proportion among women, while Chhattisgarh stood at 5.7%. the corresponding figure in urban areas was just 2.8% While 8.6% of rural women reported consuming alcohol.
The findings underline the state’s persistent lead over the rest of the country and point to a strong rural consumption pattern that continues to drive the numbers. Despite a marginal decline from the previous survey round, Telangana has retained its position at the top among larger states. the data indicate that Telangana has consistently remained well above the national average While the age groups covered in the two surveys differ. The survey also highlights a pronounced rural-urban divide within the state. A similar trend is visible among women, although at much lower levels. The rural-urban gap among women was even wider.
Revenue from liquor sales was reported at about ₹39,368 crore, while total excise collections crossed ₹44,000 crore, highlighting the scale of the state’s alcohol market. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Hyderabad | Silver Rate in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad | Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Petrol Price in Hyderabad | Diesel Price in Hyderabad | CNG Price in Hyderabad | LPG Price in Hyderabad Stay updated with the latest Hyderabad news. Excise collections have mirrored this growth. the survey nevertheless reinforces Telangana’s position as the country’s leading large state in terms of the prevalence of alcohol consumption, particularly in rural areas While the NFHS data measure the proportion of people who report consuming alcohol rather than the quantity consumed. Download the TOI App.
Liquor sales in the state touched around ₹40,209 crore in 2025-26, up from ₹37,487 crore in the previous financial year. Sales volumes also rose, with 382.91 lakh cases sold during 2025-26 compared with 372.25 lakh cases in 2024-25. The NFHS findings come against the backdrop of Telangana’s expanding liquor market.