Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala is set to open more liquor vends in response to the increasing demand for spirits.
The Kerala State Beverages Corporation, the sole agency engaged in the purchase and distribution of liquor, beer and wine, has sought to increase the number of its outlets. The Corporation, also known as Bevco, has informed the state government that in order to reduce the long line of consumers in front of the outlets, more needs to be opened.
The Bevco currently has 270 outlets in the state. Tipplers end up standing in queue for long hours, often leading to law and order situations. The Corporation also pointed out that it did not have enough security personnel to control the crowd. Recruiting more personnel would only increase the liability on the state government entity. Factoring these, the Bevco has sought to increase the number of outlets.
Around 60 outlets had to be shut in the state over three years to comply with the Supreme Court's order to ban the sale of liquor along the National Highways. The previous United Democratic Front (UDF) government's decision to close 10 per cent of the outlets every year had also resulted in the drop in the number of outlets.
Bevco reasons that new outlets would make up for the dip in the number of outlets.
Private bars have been the beneficiaries of overcrowded Bevco outlets and the decrease in the number of its stores.
The Corporation also pointed out that neighbouring states Karnataka and Tamil Nadu were already operating twice the number of outlets than Kerala.
