Ranchi, May 21: Home-delivery of liquor has begun in parts of Jharkhand amid the lockdown, reports said on Thursday. According to reports, the Jharkhand government, headed by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, has collaborated with food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy for home delivery of alcohol during the ongoing lockdown. The customers should not be below 21 years of age and will pay for the delivery charge. Home Delivery of Liquor Allowed in Punjab, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh During Lockdown, Delhi Likely to Follow Suit to Prevent Overcrowding Outside Alcohol Shops.

Both Swiggy and Zomato have begun delivering liquor at doorsteps in Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Bokaro. If you have Swiggy application on your mobile phone, you can place an online order of alcohol through the ‘Wine Shops’ category. The Jharkhand government's move is seen as an attempt to prevent crowding outside liquor shops amid the coronavirus threat. Social distancing norms went for a toss in several parts of the country when liquor shops reopened. Less Availability of Liquor, More of Non-Alcoholic Drinks May Cut Alcohol Consumption: Research.

"By enabling home delivery of alcohol in a safe and responsible manner, we can generate additional business for retail outlets while solving the problem of overcrowding, thereby promoting social distancing," Anuj Rathi, vice-president of Products at Swiggy, said in a statement. In order to ensure alcohol doesn't go in the hands of minors, Swiggy has introduced measures such as mandatory age verification.

Liquor prices had gone up to 25 per cent as vends reopened in Jharkhand on Wednesday for the first time after the lockdown was imposed in the state. Several states are planning to allow online purchasing of liquor as people, while buying alcohol from shops, blatantly violated social distancing norms.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 21, 2020 02:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).