Sip, sip hurray! Now, it is wine pubs in booze capital

Sip, sip hurray! Now, it is wine pubs in booze cap
Vijay Times

The pub capital of India, which redefined the country’s booze culture in the ‘80s, is all set to do it again. But competing with draught beer joints this time will be swanky wine pubs serving commoners without burning a hole in their wallet.

And, pray, who is heralding this change? Pinch yourself, the State government.

A new policy prepared by the government is all set to come out with a bonanza for the wine industry by removing it from the list of alcoholic beverages and declaring it a processed food product.

According to sources in the Horticulture Department, the policy will give a huge boost to the wine industry with a 40 pc subsidy on investment. The BangaloreKolar belt and BijapurBagalokot belt have been identified as the target areas for implementing the policy. "We are expecting at least 15 to 20 wine-manufacturing units to come up after unveiling the policy." Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy cleared the draft policy only after he was convinced that the promotion of wine would not hit the excise revenue being netted through sale of alcoholic drinks. "The product positioning will be done in such a way that it will not hit the India Made Foreign Liquor ," sources told VViij ja ayy TTiim me ess. . Around 11,000 hectares of land is under grape cultivation in the State. Much of the produce is being supplied to wine units in Maharashtra and around 50 containers of it is being exported to European countries, mainly France: "A separate wine board will be constituted to implement the objectives of the policy." As for the consumers, it will not only widen the choice, but also redefine the booze culture with opportunities for setting up exclusive wine pubs and wine centres where only wine of different quality and brands will be served along with snacks and food. Separate licences with low licence fee will be issued for the purpose.

With exemption from excise duty and provision of many tax sops, wine will be promoted as a health drink as it has anti-oxidant and anticarcinogenic qualities. The move will make it an affordable social beverage for every segment of society.

An Industries Department official said the new policy would bring prosperity to grape growers with several multinational wine makers wooing them with new, more paying varieties of grapes.

Other benefits would include creation of more job opportunities in the processing of grapes and manufacture, package and transport of wine. Finally, it is big bucks by tapping the huge export market.