Alappuzha , Keralam Minister M Liju said on Monday that the UDF government would unveil a new liquor policy by November, replacing the one framed by the previous LDF government.
He added that the policy would be announced either by mid-November or towards the end of the month.
The final policy will be announced after consultations within the government and the UDF,” he said. “The Excise department has almost completed discussions for formulating the policy. “All the suggestions received are being consolidated by the government. The liquor policy has come into focus after the Excise department intervened at the last minute to stop a bakery in Chalakudy from selling horti wine, an alcoholic beverage produced through the fermentation of tropical fruits and agricultural produce. The licence was subsequently suspended following the intervention of the Excise minister. The suspension order cited the ongoing process of formulating the current government’s liquor policy.
In a video shared by the Excise minister’s office, Liju said discussions on the new policy were nearing completion and the government was consolidating suggestions received from various stakeholders. Discussions were held over four to five days,” he said. The minister said consultations involved anti-liquor committees, anti-drug organisations, liquor industry workers’ unions and people from various walks of life.
