<p>Panaji: King Momo Shalom Sardinha of the ongoing Goa Carnival has said state’s popular drink ‘Feni’ should be promoted as a brew with medicinal value and not just as a hard drink. King Momo’s appeal to Goans comes after the state government decided to classify Feni as a ‘heritage drink’. Sardinha, who heralded the Carnival float parade in Panaji yesterday, appealed people to promote the local brew “as a drink with medical and heritage value” and just as liquor. “Don’t look at Feni as a liquor or a drink to get drunk. It is a unique drink with medical value and these properties of the brew are passed from one generation to another,” Shalom told PTI today. He said the carnival festivities with a message of “eat, drink and be merry” goes well with the concept of encouraging state’s indigenous products. Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had recently announced that feni would be classified as ‘heritage brew’, providing it market outside Goa. The Goa Cashew Feni Distillers and Bottlers Association has said the government should promote feni through the popular carnival. “We are happy that King Momo is endorsing Feni during the carnival. This will be a great push for this brew,” association’s President Mac Vaz said. Vaz, whose company has recently launched feni product ‘Lembranca’ branding of which was done by famous cartoonist Late Mario Miranda, said it is the “spirit of the soil” that is promoted during such festivities.<br></p>