Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government's previously announced plan to allow serving of liquor at Information Technology (IT) Parks is being revived. The revised recommendations in this regard will be soon sent to the Subject Committee of the Legislative Assembly.
The authorities said that the process has been set in motion such a way as to enable sale of liquor in IT parks this year itself.
The liquor policy announced in 2021 had proposed the serving of alcohol at select locations of major IT companies during leisure hours. However, the plan proved to be a non-starter so far.
Now, the earlier suggestions have been reworked and submitted to the Subject Committee after some MLAs from the Opposition protested against some of the guidelines.
No consensus yet on licence fee
However, the differences over the issue of charging the licence fee have not been resolved. While the Information Technology department has recommended Rs 10 lakh as fee, the Excise Department has demanded that Rs 20 lakh should be charged as is the case with clubs.
Opposition stand
Opposition MLAs K Babu and Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan opposed the suggestion for allowing companies functioning in the IT parks to serve liquor. They argued that there were numerous companies operating in IT parks, including Technopark, and if licences were given to all of them, these workplaces would be flooded with liquor.
The government argues that the permission to serve liquor will be limited to the park entities and prominent companies operating in them. Licences will be granted to companies that have been functioning for years and have a quantum of yearly turnover that will be decided by the government. All the employees of the parks will be allowed to use the facility.
The government also said that the operators of bars would not be granted permission to serve liquor in IT parks and that the Subject Committee would be informed of this fact.
New category of licence
The decision is to grant a new category of licence termed FL 4C for serving liquor in IT parks. The bars could be opened in entertainment centres that will be established in designated areas in IT parks owned by the government or are under its direct control. These clubs will have the same working hours as bars. As in the case of other licencees, those in IT parks too can buy liquor from the godowns of the Beverages Corporation for sale.
The companies concerned must take action over issues such as employees being found drunk on duty, the government said.
Those from outside the IT parks will not be served liquor at these facilities.
