Thiruvananthapuram: No new Bevco outlets will be opened in Kerala till the Lok Sabha election scheduled next year is over. The State Government has given directions regarding this, in the wake of local residents protesting against the opening of new liquor shops in many places. While it is learnt the same may affect the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) poll prospects. According to sources, the government has taken this decision after facing pressure from bar owners who oppose the move to open BEVCO shops en masse.
The bar owners, already upset with the LDF Government’s liquor policy which saw the license fees going up by a whopping amount of Rs 5 lakh, had earlier conveyed their concerns to the Government and the CPM.
The Government gave the nod to BEVCO (Kerala State Beverages (Manufacturing & Marketing) Corporation Ltd) to reopen 68 liquor outlets that were closed down as part of the Oommen Chandy government’s prohibition policy, and also start 175 new shops, in May 2022. While BEVCO could reopen only seven and Consumerfed only five till now, nearly 50 new bars were opened thereafter. The phase at which the Excise extended license to bars was missing in the case of BEVCO.
The unofficial ban comes at a time when the BEVCO had even identified the sites for starting 10 new liquor outlets.
Elaborating on this year's liquor policy, the Excise Minister had said in July that while 559 retail outlets are sanctioned, only 309 are functioning and steps will be taken to let operate the rest. He was referring to the shops allowed under the order in May 2022. But three days later, when the liquor policy was issued as an order, there was no mention of retail shops. This contradiction had turned the order controversial too. At the same time, the revised license fee has not been collected from the bar owners even after two-and-a-half months.
Sharp rise in liquor outlets under LDF govt
When the first Pinarayi Government came to power, there were 29 bars and 306 Bevco-Consumerfed outlets. The licenses of 440 bar licenses, which were cancelled under the policy of the UDF Government, were renewed. In addition to this, more than 250 new licenses were issued by the first and second Pinarayi governments. There are more than 720 bars and more than 300 beer parlours in the state now. The Bevco-Consumerfed outlets are 317.
