Decision on bar licence soon

The government will soon take a policy decision on the bar licence issue as 418 bars across the State have been remaining closed for two months, Minister for Excise and Ports K. Babu has said.

Intervening during the reply to a question in the House on Wednesday, the Minister said the sales in the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) outlets had gone up after the bars that did not have quality standards were closed as per a Supreme Court directive.

Bevco earned additional revenue of Rs.200 crore during the period with an increase of seven lakh litres of liquor sale in May this year, compared to the corresponding period in 2013. Mr. Babu said the government’s policy was to introduce prohibition in a phased manner after creating awareness among the public.

Minister for Labour Shibu Baby John said only 503 of 6,670 workers employed in these 418 bars had been registered in the Abkari Welfare Board. Only the bars had been closed and the hotels and restaurants attached to them were working. A decision on the rehabilitation of the employees of these bars would be announced after the policy decision was taken, he said.

‘108’ ambulance

In reply to a question, Minister for Health V.S. Sivakumar said 250 basic life support ambulances would be launched across the State.

The Minister said stringent norms and quality check had been introduced to ensure quality of medicines supplied to hospitals.

Food Safety

Mr. Sivakumar, in reply to another question, said the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India had extended the time for obtaining the licence till August 5 this year. Only 30,439 traders had taken the mandatory licence and 1,60,365 had registered.