THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Taking a cue from other IT hubs like Bengaluru and Hyderabad, IT parks in Kerala are likely to have pubs and wine parlours soon. On Wednesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed the assembly that setting up pubs and wine parlours in IT parks in the state is under active consideration of the state government. He said the lack of social infrastructure in IT parks and towns hosting them was pointed out as a shortfall by several IT companies earlier in their reports submitted to the government. A final decision in this regard will be taken after the Covid threat is over, said Pinarayi.
"Some companies send their representatives for preliminary studies when they plan to invest here. Often, their report pointed out the lack of facilities like pubs. The government had started steps to resolve this complaint earlier. But the government did not take any other action in this regard as it was the beginning stage of the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.
The CM added that concessions need to be brought in the liquor policy and other matters like amendments required in excise rules will be considered soon.
Last year, the state government in its liquor policy had dropped the proposal to set up pubs and microbreweries in the state after it kicked up a controversy following allegations levelled by the then Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala. Though the government had been supportive of setting up pubs and microbreweries, the proposal was shelved to avoid controversies ahead of the local body polls and assembly elections. In 2018, the state government had put on hold plans to allow microbreweries in the state. The Excise Department had said the government has decided not to go ahead with the proposal for the time being despite a favourable report submitted by a panel that studied it.
John M Thomas, CEO, IT parks- Kerala, told The New Indian Express that IT parks should have such facilities as many companies were hesitant to start their subsidiaries here due to lack of such facilities. "What the Chief Minister said is correct and it should be implemented. We need a larger ecosystem for the growth of the IT sector. In addition to the basic infrastructure, we also need to have a very good social infrastructure. Pubs, wine parlours, gyms and walkways are part of it. It should be in such a way that it will have a positive effect on their lifestyle," he said.