Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Excise Minister M Liju on Friday said the government will decide whether to allow the sale of low-alcohol beverages only after finalising and notifying its new liquor policy.

Responding to reporters, Liju said Chief Minister V D Satheesan had already made it clear that the announcement of tax slabs for low-alcohol beverages does not mean they will automatically be sold in the state.

He explained that the tax changes announced in the Budget were part of the government’s revenue projections and that the relevant provisions in the Finance Bill would take effect only after a government notification.

“A notification can be issued only after the government announces its liquor policy,” the minister said.

He added that if the new policy permits the sale of low-alcohol beverages, the applicable tax structure is already in place. “If the policy does not permit their sale, then the matter ends there,” he said.

Liju also pointed out that the previous LDF government had introduced low-alcohol beverages through its 2023 liquor policy.

Earlier this week, Chief Minister V D Satheesan told the Assembly that the UDF government would take a separate decision on allowing low-alcohol beverages after holding wider public consultations as part of its liquor policy. Defending the reduction in taxes on such beverages, Satheesan said the move neither automatically authorises their sale nor clears the way for their introduction in Kerala.

However, Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan criticised the government’s stand on Thursday, questioning why the Finance Bill containing the tax reduction was passed before a decision had been taken on permitting the sale of low-alcohol beverages.

He alleged that the UDF government had rushed the Finance Bill through the Assembly to benefit liquor companies by reducing taxes.