The Excise Department has come up with a new idea to discourage Keralites from taking to the bottle - reduce the alcohol content in the liquor sold in the state.
The plan will be put into effect from next year onwards, Excise Minister K Babu told the Assembly on Monday. “We plan to launch the initiative from next year since the tenders for this year’s supply have already been called for. Next year, the new condition will be in place when inviting the bids,” he said. To another question he replied that the government’s intention was to discourage alcohol consumption by gradually cutting down its availability and to stop viewing liquor sales as a revenue source of the government.
The government aimed at prohibition in a phased manner, Babu said. Bars will henceforth be sanctioned to promote tourism, he said.