 "No basic change in liquor policy: Kerala chief minister")
Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy on Wednesday reiterated in the Assembly the state would achieve "total prohibition" of liquor within a 10-year period.
"You (the Opposition) need not have any apprehension that we are going to dilute the liquor policy. Our aim is to achieve total prohibition in a period of 10 years," he said. Chandy was replying to a motion given notice by the Left Front Opposition in the Assembly.
The chief minister said the state government is currently working on certain changes in the liquor policy declared on August 21.A high-power committee of the UDF on Monday gave the nod to the state government to make necessary corrections in the liquor policy, which has drawn a lot of criticism in the state.
"There won't be any change on the basic premise of the liquor policy," the minister said while replying to an adjournment motion moved by A Pradeep Kumar, MLA, seeking to discuss the government's move to make changes in the policy.
Hinting the government would consider issuing licence to closed bars for opening beer and wine parlours, Babu said the government wanted to reduce the supply of ''strong liquor' by making available 'light liquor' in the state.
Indicating there would be changes in liquor rules in tourism sector and on classifying Sundays as 'Dry Day', Babu said the sale of liquor on Saturdays had increased manifold and there were cancellations in 'conference tourism'. Babu also said the ruling UDF had approved the necessity for change and had entrusted the Cabinet to take suitable decisions after considering all aspects.
Seeking leave for the motion, A Pradeepkumar (CPI-M) said the talk about changes clearly established the failure of the policy. He alleged the government was hand-in-glove with bar owners, which was clearly the reason why it had 'failed' in cases related to bar issue in the court of law.
As the Speaker denied permission on the notice for adjournment motion, the entire Opposition walked out of the Assembly today.
Before staging the walkout-in-protest, Opposition leader VS Achuthanandan said the new policy was an outcome of corruption to help the bar owners.
On Monday, the Congress party-led ruling UDF, after heated discussions, had finally given the nod for 'practical changes' to the liquor policy announced in August.
Addressing reporters here after a more than three-hour UDF meeting, Chandy said the fundamentals of the liquor policy announced in August would remain the same.
He added there would be some practical changes in the policy as it could badly affect the tourism sector in the state. There will be a change in observing sundays as Dry Days, he said.
"You (the Opposition) need not have any apprehension that we are going to dilute the liquor policy. Our aim is to achieve total prohibition in a period of 10 years," he said. Chandy was replying to a motion given notice by the Left Front Opposition in the Assembly.
The chief minister said the state government is currently working on certain changes in the liquor policy declared on August 21.A high-power committee of the UDF on Monday gave the nod to the state government to make necessary corrections in the liquor policy, which has drawn a lot of criticism in the state.
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Meanwhile, excise minister K Babu, in the Assembly said the state government will not make any change on the basic premise of its new liquor policy.
"There won't be any change on the basic premise of the liquor policy," the minister said while replying to an adjournment motion moved by A Pradeep Kumar, MLA, seeking to discuss the government's move to make changes in the policy.
Hinting the government would consider issuing licence to closed bars for opening beer and wine parlours, Babu said the government wanted to reduce the supply of ''strong liquor' by making available 'light liquor' in the state.
Indicating there would be changes in liquor rules in tourism sector and on classifying Sundays as 'Dry Day', Babu said the sale of liquor on Saturdays had increased manifold and there were cancellations in 'conference tourism'. Babu also said the ruling UDF had approved the necessity for change and had entrusted the Cabinet to take suitable decisions after considering all aspects.
Seeking leave for the motion, A Pradeepkumar (CPI-M) said the talk about changes clearly established the failure of the policy. He alleged the government was hand-in-glove with bar owners, which was clearly the reason why it had 'failed' in cases related to bar issue in the court of law.
As the Speaker denied permission on the notice for adjournment motion, the entire Opposition walked out of the Assembly today.
Before staging the walkout-in-protest, Opposition leader VS Achuthanandan said the new policy was an outcome of corruption to help the bar owners.
On Monday, the Congress party-led ruling UDF, after heated discussions, had finally given the nod for 'practical changes' to the liquor policy announced in August.
Addressing reporters here after a more than three-hour UDF meeting, Chandy said the fundamentals of the liquor policy announced in August would remain the same.
He added there would be some practical changes in the policy as it could badly affect the tourism sector in the state. There will be a change in observing sundays as Dry Days, he said.