Police special branch moots online liquor sale through cooperatives
- Through online marketing of liquor, the state government can ensure rehabilitation of those rendered jobless by the restrictions on liquor sales.
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The distribution network could be entrusted with the proposed cooperatives run by the workers.
FollowAs the state government is exploring all possibilities to find a solution to 'huge revenue loss' resulting out of the restrictions on liquor outlets on highways, the Special Branch Criminal Intelligence Department (SBCID) has suggested online sale of liquor as an alternative. It also put forth an idea to float cooperatives modeled on the Indian Coffee Workers Society that runs the Indian Coffee House network to manage the online marketing.
Through online marketing of liquor, the state government can ensure rehabilitation of those rendered jobless by the restrictions on liquor sales. Besides this, the revenue loss could be considerably reduced. The liquor sales should be brought completely under the control of the state run Beverages Corporation (Bevco) while the distribution network could be entrusted with the proposed cooperatives run by the workers.
The SBCID predicts that the online sales would considerably bring down law and order problems including the local protests against liquor outlets. Identity cards should be made mandatory for buying liquor, which the special branch felt, would ensure that the bottle won't end up in the hands of minors.
The proposal to sell liquor online had provoked criticism earlier. The idea was first mooted by Consumerfed chairman last year. The Excise Minister was quick to shoot it down, fearing protests.
Related: Ministers shoot down proposal to sell liquor online in Kerala
The closure of liquor shops and bars on highways after a recent Supreme Court verdict has left Bevco staring at huge loss. The state Finance Department calculated that the revenue loss to the exchequer around Rs.4,000 crores.
