Hyderabad: Hyderabad may have one of the state’s biggest concentrations of liquor outlets and bars, but when it comes to the share of men who consume alcohol, the city ranks among the lowest in Telangana, 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 (27.4%) and Kumuram Bheem Asifabad (30.1%) recorded lower proportions.The finding stands in sharp contrast to Hyderabad’s image as Telangana’s commercial and nightlife hub, with hundreds of liquor outlets operating across the city. Hyderabad’s figure is 13.5 percentage points below the state average of 43.9%, suggesting that alcohol consumption is far more prevalent in many rural districts than in the capital.At the other end of the spectrum, Jangaon topped the list with 61.6% of men reporting alcohol consumption, followed by Jayashankar Bhupalpally (56.6%) and Warangal Rural (56.5%). The district-level data reveal wide variations in drinking habits across Telangana.While Hyderabad fares far below the state average, it still remains above the national average. The city’s male alcohol consumption rate is 11.5 percentage points higher than the countrywide figure of 18.9%.The numbers assume greater significance given Telangana’s extensive liquor retail network. The state 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.Industry observers say the perception that Hyderabad drives Telangana’s liquor consumption does not necessarily match ground realities.According to Kishan Pedhapally of Asav Wines, alcohol consumption has 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.The survey also points to a stark gender divide in alcohol consumption. Among women aged 15 years and above in Hyderabad, only 1.1% reported consuming alcohol. This is significantly lower than Telangana’s overall figure of 7.1% and is identical to the national average of 1.1%.However, experts caution against equating the survey findings with liquor sales. NFHS-6 measures the proportion of respondents who report consuming alcohol and does not capture the quantity consumed or overall sales volumes. As a result, the district rankings reflect the prevalence of drinking rather than the total volume of alcohol consumed.GFXMen aged 15 years and above who consume alcoholTop five districtsJangaon — 61.6%Jayashankar Bhupalapally — 56.6%Warangal Rural — 56.5%Yadadri Bhuvanagiri — 54.1%Siddipet — 52.5%Least five districtsAdilabad — 27.4%Kumuram Bheem Asifabad — 30.1%Hyderabad — 30.4%Medchal Malkajgiri — 31.4%Sangareddy — 32.1%Women aged 15 years and above who consume alcoholTop five districtsNagarkurnool — 15.6%Medak — 15.2%Kamareddy — 13.8%Mahabubnagar — 13.1%Ranga Reddy — 12.9%Least five districtsHyderabad — 1.1%Karimnagar — 1.1%Kumuram Bheem Asifabad — 1.5%Adilabad — 1.7%Jagitial — 2.0%Hyderabad: 31st among 33 districts for men at 30.4%, while its 1.1% figure for women is joint-lowest among districts.
