Kerala mulling ‘Online’ liquor sales ?    

Kozhikode/Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 19 (PTI): Tipplers inKerala would relish this news no end. If state-owned Cooperative Consumers Federation(Consumerfed), the apex body of consumer cooperatives in thestate, has its way, those who love their drink can hope toorder their favourite liquor brand online this ‘Onam’. "Consumerfed is planning to launch online liquor salesduring Onam. A final decision is expected in three days time,"Federation chairman M Mehboob, told reporters in Kozhikode. He said it would be implemented only after discussionsand getting clearance from the state government. This was onlya suggestion to avoid long queues seen outside liquor outlets,he told PTI later. As per the plan, initially about 59 brands will be soldto consumers who register for the product online. Consumers can order their favourite brand online andcollect it from the outlets by presenting the bill, he said. Hours after the announcement of ‘Online’ liquor sales,Excise minister T P Ramakrishnan said the proposal was yet tocome up before the government. "We will take a decision when it comes before us. We havenot thought of online liquor sales. Let the proposal come," hetold reporters. The minister conceded it would help reduce long queues infront of liquor shops. "Those standing in the queues are alsohuman beings," he said. The new proposal comes even as there are reports that theLDF government is likely to revisit the previous Congress-ledUDF government’s excise policy aiming at total prohibitionin phases over the next 10 years. It had shut down over 700 liquor bars in the state. Tourism Minister A C Moideen today said the UDF’s liquorpolicy had adversely affected tourism industry in Kerala. "There is no question of diluting the liquor policy ofthe previous UDF government. We are stressing on abstinence,while the previous government was for total prohibition, whichis not our policy", the Excise Minister said. Criticising the proposal, BJP state President KummanamRajasekharan said the initiative would hurt the state’s ‘prideand glory’ during Onam festival. PTI KV UD APR SKSK