Options include introduction of liquor permits for foreign tourists
Government is mulling options to amend the existing law. (Photo: DC/File)
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: With all bars except those attached to five-star hotels to be shut by September 12, the government is mulling over various options, including amendments to the existing excise rules to ensure that phased prohibition does not become a deterrent for foreign tourists.
The options include introduction of liquor permits for foreign tourists, granting concessions to hotels which have a minimum annual business of Rs 1 crore involving foreign tourists for controlled supply of liquor to guests and even empowering tourism officials with excise officials’ powers for granting special permits.
Since the new liquor policy was brought in haste, the tourism industry is in a bind. The tourism sector’s worry is not unfounded since it could not get time to assess the impact of phased prohibition. Even prohibition in states like Gujarat which introduced liquor permits long back faced major problems in tourism because of complicated procedures involved in obtaining permits.
Last year, the Modi government was forced to amend the rules to ease the procedures. At the moment, liquor permits are issued at the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) outlets in airports which the tourists can obtain on arrival. Experts say such measures can be implemented only after a thorough homework on the viability of such amendments, legal complications, problems and after detailed discussion between excise, finance, and home departments.
As in Gujarat, here too a quota for a period of one week or 20 days can be finalised for foreign tourists, like for instance 1,500 ml of IMFL or 26 cans of beer or even a mix of one bottle (750 ml ) and 13 cans of beer.
( Source : dc )
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