Karnataka to allow another 1,100 liquor vending licences

BANGALORE: Karnataka government decided on Saturday to grant 1100 new licences to open wine shops and bars and restaurants in the state in an attempt to check illegal sale of liquor.
It has been decided to sanction 489 licences to open wine shops and 618 bars and restaurants in the state, Karnataka''s Minister for Information Kagodu Thimmappa said.
He, however, said government had no plans to ban sale of arrack this year.
Thimmappa said 157 licences to open wine shops would be given in urban areas and 332 in rural areas. Similarly, 295 licences would be granted to open bar and restaurants in urban areas and 323 in rural areas.
Government had earlier announced it was considering banning production and sale of arrack in a phased manner and encourage consumption of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL).
Since the past few years, government virtually banned issue of fresh licences to open wine shops or bar and restaurants.