In what appears to be a novel initiative, Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) is planning to develop a databank. This database does not intend to capture the details of Bevco’s frequent customers. On the contrary, it will contain the details of those who are interested in leasing out or selling their building or property for Bevco’s retail and wholesale outlets across the state. Bevco, one of the top earners of revenue to the state exchequer, has invited an expression of interest subjected to 21 clauses for the preparation of this data bank. The proposed sites for the outlets should have strictly no places of worship, educational institutions, crematorium or Scheduled Caste/Tribe settlements within a radius of 200 metres.
Though the applications are invited for all the 338 locations of retail and wholesale outlets under the 24 regional centres, Bevco aims to relocate those outlets which are in legal tangles.
The proposed building should not be located at the main junctions, busy junctions, or close to any national highway, according to the stipulations given in the Bevco website. The outlet should be spaced in an area of around 1,200 and 3,500 square feet and the land should be between 10 to 20 cents. However, the size of the building will be decided according to the average sales of each shop. If a party intends to make his property comprising both land and building available, it would be considered for both rent as well as purchase.
A model letter of interest consists of 20 details including the name of the applicant and the location. The applications should be addressed to the warehouse manager of the locations concerned. Bevco will consider the letters of interest after examining whether they comply with the stipulated criterion. Bevco has shown a steady turnover increase of 15 to 20 per cent each passing year during the last decade. Excise Minister K Babu had informed the Assembly the other day that 241.78 lakh cases of Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and 97.82 lakh cases of beer were sold through Bevco outlets in 2011-12.
In the first two months of 2012-13 fiscal, IMFL worth `433.90 crore was consumed in the state which was a 10 per cent increase compared to the figures for the corresponding period last financial year.