Churches have hailed the plan of banning alcohol by Kerala's ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government as a welcome step against the scourge of alcoholism among the people.
Bishop Dharmaraj Rasalam, head of the Diocese of South Kerala of the Church of South India said, "There are so many drunkards in our society - it is a grace concern among the people," he said.
"It is very good to abolish alcohol from this land. They cannot stop it in a day, week or a month, but the Church is supporting the government to get rid of all these things."
The state government of Kerala has announced plans to ban alcohol in stages.
Oommen Chandy, Chief Minister said, "The UDF has come out with a unanimous decision for a liquor ban in the state to achieve total prohibition."
"The aim is to achieve the target of a liquor-free Kerala in 10 years. We are fulfilling one more promise in the UDF manifesto," Chandy said.
In the step towards total prohibition of alcohol in the state, 418 bars won't have their licenses renewed. Likewise, licenses of 312 functioning bars in the sate won't be renewed after March 31, 2015.
And from April 1, 2015, only five star hotels will be granted bar licenses. There are 23 five star hotels in the state.
Earlier, Cardinal Baselios Mor Cleemis, the Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, has warned the government that it would lose support if the licences of closed bars were renewed.
