Thiruvananthapuram: In what could be a complete makeover of liquor sales, Kerala government has directed the state-run Beverages Corporation (Bevco) to study and recommend ways to make liquor distribution much smarter and hassle-free for the customers.

The government asked the corporation to study the possibility of selling liquor online. The study was mooted as the long queues before the liquor outlets have become a problem for both the customers and the public. The Bevco has two months to complete the study.

The Bevco, on its part, will study the feasibility of launching a mobile app for liquor sales. It would also take a look at the possibilities of making its shops more spacious with added facilities.

The corporation has also decided to appoint more hands through employment exchanges in its outlets across the state to meet the Onam rush.

The Kerala High Court had directed the state on 6 July to find ways to avoid the serpentine queues in front of the liquor outlets. The court also asked the government to make sure that the dignity of the common man who came to buy liquor was respected. And at the same time, the functioning of the Bevco outlets should not in any way be a nuisance to the public and the shops nearby.

The government should arrange facilities so as to avoid the customers of Bevco stand on public roads, the court said. The government decided to conduct the study in the wake of this judgment.

The Bevco will study how the distribution of liquor could be facilitated for those who book liquor through online and over telephone. The study also will consider various aspects of going online, including the modes of distribution, verification of the age of the online/telephonic customer, the quantity of the liquor that can be purchased this way and the norms and regulations to be in place for the customers who want to buy liquor online. Along with this, the Bevco will also examine the possibility of a mobile app to make liquor purchase easier.

"The policy of the state is abstinence. It holds that the social problems caused by liquor cannot be addressed through prohibition. The complete liquor ban had failed wherever it was implemented. When the country allows the freedom to drink and to choose the liquor of one's taste, it is the state's responsibility to ensure adequate facilities for that. The state should also provide an environment where a person can drink responsibly," a top excise official told Manorama Online.

The very long perpetual queues in front of liquor shops are causing lots of problems for the public. Other states have no such problems. The corporation decided to make changes in this practice as the queues have grown to that level that it has dented the image of the state itself, Bevco officials explain.

The government's plan is a complete reform of the way the liquor outlets function. The idea is to start spacious outlets avoiding queues and at the same time, giving an impressive shopping experience to the customers. The study will include all these aspects.

As the liquor sales have been a touchy issue in the state, the government is moving very cautiously in this matter. Once the study report is submitted, it will hold discussions with political parties and various organizations to strike a consensus. The further steps on the recommendations of the proposed study would be taken only after these consultations.

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