Maharashtra liquor policy draws fire

Maharashtra government's proposal to allow sale of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in existing permit rooms/hotels and country liquor bars in their premises by paying 50 per cent of vendor licence fee has come in for sharp criticism from the Congress.

Former mayor of Mumbai and congress leader Nirmala Samant Prabhavalkar has sent a letter to party president Sonia Gandhi, requesting her to order a stay on the proposal. The proposal, if implemented, would have an adverse effect on families, specially women and children due to rise in domestic violence, Prabhavalkar said.

"The proposed change in licencing system and widening the present ambit of accesibility of liquor makes it freely available to all sections of society, including vulnerable sections like the youth," she said.