MOSCOW, August 22 (RIA Novosti) - The authorities of the Indian state of Kerala have announced a plan to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol within 10 years to fight increasing alcohol abuse in the state, The Times of India reports.
"The UDF [United Democratic Front, the ruling coalition of political parties in Kerala], has come out with a unanimous decision for a liquor ban in the state to achieve total prohibition,'' Chief Minister of Kerala Oommen Chandy said on Thursday, as quoted by The Times of India.
Since April, 418 bars around Kerala have been closed. The government is now seeking to legally terminate the remaining 312 licenses immediately. If the authorities do not succeed, the licenses are scheduled to be terminated on March 31, 2015.
From April 1, 2015, only five star hotels are to be granted bar licenses.
According to The Times of India, Kerala has the highest per capita consumption of liquor in the country at 8.3 liters per year. In second is Punjab with 7.9 liters per year, while national per capita consumption of liquor is four liters per year.
Kerala is situated on the southwestern coast of India and is one of India’s most progressive states in terms of quality of life and social welfare, attracting millions of tourists each year.
