Bangalore: State may get 1,000 more liquor shops

 

Bangalore, 18 November 2013, (DHNS): An additional 1,000-odd liquor shops may come up in the State if the State Excise Department has its way.

 

However, the Siddaramaiah government may not rush through a decision on the issue. Excise Minister Satish Jharkiholi told reporters in Bangalore on Monday that there is a demand for opening five-six new liquor shops in each of the 176 taluks.

 

“The government is ready to issue licences. But there has been opposition to it from many quarters for many years. Hence, the government is hesitant to take a decision in this regard,” he said. There are about 7,500 liquor shops and bars in the State, of which  2,500 are in Bangalore city.

 

Making a strong pitch for issuing new licences, the minister said liquor shops are currently located at every 20 km in rural areas. Licences have not been issued as per demand over the years. As a result, people in some places are illegally selling liquor at petty shops after purchasing them at outlets of the Mysore Sales International Ltd (MSIL), a state-run marketing agency. The demand is also leading to sale of spurious liquor in the State.

 

Licences to open new liquor shops were last issued way back in 1993. Though there is a provision to open new shops in the Karnataka Excise Act, successive governments have not issued new licences, fearing public backlash.

 

Since 1993, the department had sent proposals to successive State governments to issue new licences for liquor shops and bars on three occasions. But no decision was taken, said officials on the condition of anonymity.

 

Jharkiholi said the State government is planning to convene an all-party meeting,  chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, to discuss the issue.

 

The government wants to take all opposition parties into confidence before taking a decision. Steps will be taken to open an additional 100 MSIL outlets in the State.

 

Jharkiholi said measures are being taken to rehabilitate those who were involved in manufacture and sale of spurious liquor in the State. About 200 such families have been identified, and the Social Welfare Department will be implementing a scheme to rehabilitate them, he added.