Karnataka to start online liquor sales, new MSIL shops to shore up its treasury

Team Udayavani, Aug 8, 2020, 12:18 PM IST

Bengaluru: The State government has decided to open new MSIL (Mysore Sales International Limited) liquor shops in villages in order to overcome the economic hardship caused by the lockdowns.

The State government had opened a total of 1,363 new liquor stores: 463 in 2011 and 900 in 2016. Before March 31, 759 new MSIL outlets were also opened.

Now, according to sources, the government has instructed MSIL to open 513 new outlets in rural areas by the end of December.

Till March of this year, a new MSIL outlet could be started in a place only after receiving permission from local MLAs and other elected representatives from the area.

In a meeting in March, the Excise Department abolished this rule.

Liquor dealers’ associations in the State are however have come out in opposition to the opening of new MSIL shops by the State government. They had appealed to the Excise Commissioner and had also gone to the High Court. The court had directed the commissioner to appeal the matter. However, it has been learned that there has been no response from the Excise Commissioner.

The State government is considering selling liquor online. It has already held a meeting with a private company on May 27 discussing the distribution of liquor online across the State. An official order on it may be released soon.