Kerala may take ₹8,000-cr hit

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Wednesday said the Government may lose up to ₹8,000 crore in annual revenue because of the new liquor policy which aims to clamp prohibition in phases and shutdown of all the 700-odd bars from next week. However, the loss to society (in terms of health ruin and manpower loss) was much higher than the revenue loss, he told the media after a Cabinet meeting. He said the expenses required for the effective policing of prohibition were yet to be worked out. Chandy announced ₹5,000 each to the employees of 418 bars that remain closed since March 31. Our Bureau