Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Beverages Corporation (BEVCO) has rolled out a fresh proposal to the state government, seeking the green light for home delivery of liquor via an online platform — an idea inspired by Swiggy’s earlier pitch. The plan aims to cut down long queues at the state’s limited liquor outlets and boost tax revenue.
Under the proposal, only customers aged 23 and above would be eligible to order, with mandatory ID verification at delivery. Every product sold at BEVCO outlets would be available online, and deliveries would be managed through a tender-based system, awarding contracts to the lowest bidder.
With fewer than 300 outlets in Kerala compared to 4,700 in Tamil Nadu, BEVCO says home delivery could ease crowding and raise state revenue — which hit ₹19,700 crore in FY 2024–25, up from ₹19,050 crore the previous year.
However, the state government remains unconvinced, wary of political backlash ahead of local and assembly elections. Strong opposition from bar owners, who fear losing business, and the need to amend the Abkari Act and Foreign Liquor Rules of 1953 further cloud the plan’s prospects. For now, despite the potential benefits, Kerala’s liquor home delivery dream may stay bottled up.
