The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday said that the total COVID-19 positive cases in India rose to 9352 and the death toll rose to 324. The most number of cases are seen in Maharashtra. 82 new COVID-19 cases including 59 cases in Mumbai were reported in the state on Monday morning. The total number of positive cases in the state stands at 2064, said the Maharashtra Health Department.
Update:
A senior bureaucrat told FPJ, “The matter had come for discussion in the first week of April, but the government has decided not to allow liquor sale as of now to avoid a backlash. It is true that the government has received representations from liquor and alcohol manufacturers and also from the wine shop owners in this regard.’’ However, the majority of ministers in the state cabinet are not in favour of resumption of liquor sale in the lockdown.
In the wake of the rising number of cases in the state, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has extended the lockdown to April 30. Meanwhile, one of the biggest problems faced by individuals at the time of lockdown is the availability of alcohol.
The Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) has written to Uddhav Thackeray requesting him to give the go-ahead in resuming their businesses. These include the reopening of wine shops and distilleries, given the amount in taxes alcohol gives the state.
However, so far the Chief Minister is yet to take a call on whether a "phase-wise" opening of liquor shops in Mumbai, Pune, Navi Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra be made permissible. Meanwhile, there have been several reports of illegal sale of alochol in the state.
States like Assam, Meghalaya have given permission to open the liquor shops for a limited time.
