THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Left Government has in principle decided not to shut down any present outlets of the state’s beverages corporation and Consumer fed as the first step of cancelling the liquor policy of the UDF Government. The official order on it will be released next week. The LDF Government is planning to cancel previous UDF Government’s decision to shut down 10% of beverages-consumerfed outlets every year on Oct 2.
There are presently 270 outlets under beverages and 36 under consumer fed. The UDF government had shut down 68 outlets of beverages corporation and 10 of consumerfed since 2014.
Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan had stated earlier that they would change the previous UDF Government’s liquor policy. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had made it clear that liquor abstinence was the way to go, instead of total prohibition. However, the government had announced that no more news bars would be opened.
Bevco contributes huge revenue to the state and so it is hinted that the government is against the closure of outlets. It also came to the state’s rescue whenever the financial situation became dire. Liquor sale went up even after the bars were closed during the tenure of Oommen Chandy Government.
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