The Kerala government is contemplating launching pilot projects to enable the home delivery of alcohol through popular online food ordering platforms like Swiggy and Zomato. This initiative, if implemented, would align Kerala with several other states in India, including Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Goa, and New Delhi, where similar ventures are under consideration. The move aims to streamline alcohol purchases, particularly targeting urban migrants, women uncomfortable with traditional liquor store visits, and elderly citizens. Initial phases would likely focus on low-alcohol beverages such as beer and wine, with services also potentially extended through online grocery platforms like BigBasket and Blinkit in eligible cities.
Despite potential revenue benefits, the initiative faces hurdles including political sensitivities, public perception challenges, and opposition from retail associations. The project seeks to reduce public disturbances and drunk driving incidents by minimizing physical visits to liquor stores, while ensuring compliance with age verification, transaction records, and legal limits through stringent eKYC measures and OTP verifications.
