Step out to get your booze; Karnataka government drops online orders plans
BENGALURU: The Karnataka government has dropped its plan to allow online liquor sale in the state. The State Excise Department says it is not feasible and it could also result in losses to thousands of liquor outlet owners, besides rendering their staff jobless. A proposal for online liquor business was first made during the H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition government which met with strong resistance from the Opposition parties.
Later, the proposal was re-introduced during B S Yediyurappa’s tenure. The then government had directed the Excise Department to send its officials to various states to study feasibility of online liquor sale. Even during the pandemic, the government wanted to introduce online sales to avoid crowding at liquor outlets. Speaking to TNIE, Excise Minister K Gopaliah said there are more than 14,000 licence holders across the state. Thousands of families depend on these outlets.
“If we allow online liquor sale, it might hit the business of these people as many consumers will prefer delivery of liquor at their doorsteps. This is why we decided to not take the proposal forward,” he said. “Also, people from lower income groups and those residing in slums might not be able to avail the online facility,” he added.
Gopaliah said CM Basavaraj Bommai in his budget speech had set a target of `29,000 crore excise revenue for the year 2022-23, of which the Excise Department has already generated `14,400 crore in six months. “We will achieve the target by the end of the fiscal year,” he added. Karnataka government is also considering to allow sale of wine in big stores and supermarkets. At present, only registered wine stores are allowed to sell wine in the state. This idea was mooted after Maharashtra state cabinet approved it.
Excise Department sources say that in an election year, the government is wary of taking any decision which might affect the party’s prospects in polls.