Hyderabad’s alcohol surprise: Just 30.4% of men drink, NFHS-6 finds
HYDERABAD: Hyderabad may have one of the state’s biggest concentrations of liquor outlets and bars, but the district ranks among the lowest in Telangana in the share of men who consume alcohol, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) data.
Only 30.4% of men aged 15 years and above in Hyderabad reported consuming alcohol, placing the district 31st among Telangana’s 33 districts. Only Adilabad, at 27.4%, and Kumuram Bheem Asifabad, at 30.1%, recorded lower proportions, as reported by TOI.
Hyderabad figure 13.5 percentage points below state average
Hyderabad’s figure is 13.5 percentage points below Telangana’s average of 43.9%, indicating that reported alcohol consumption is higher in several districts outside the capital.
At the other end of the list, Jangaon recorded the highest proportion at 61.6%, followed by Jayashankar Bhupalpally at 56.6% and Warangal Rural at 56.5%.
Hyderabad’s male alcohol consumption rate is, however, 11.5 percentage points higher than the national figure of 18.9%.
Telangana has 2,620 liquor shops and 1,107 bars
The figures assume significance against the state’s extensive liquor retail network. Telangana has 2,620 A4 retail liquor shops, 1,107 2B bars and 88 elite bars.
Hyderabad alone is estimated to have around 600 liquor outlets.
Kishan Pedhapally of Asav Wines said alcohol consumption had increasingly shifted towards non-urban markets in recent years.
“Hyderabad and surrounding areas are largely a premium alcohol market, which could be one reason for the lower reported consumption. In rural markets, consumption is much higher. In fact, wine consumption is higher in several districts than in the city,” he said.
Among women aged 15 years and above in Hyderabad, 1.1% reported consuming alcohol. This is lower than Telangana’s overall figure of 7.1% and identical to the national average of 1.1%.
