CM Nitish Kumar keeps poll promise.
By Sreekanth A. Nair
After the success of partial ban on liquor that started on April 1, the Nitish Kumar government has decided to ban the sale and consumption of all kinds of liquor in the state of Bihar.
Liquor ban was one of the important poll promises to women by chief minister Kumar. It also includes a ban on Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL).
“The decision on total prohibition has been driven by the opposition of women to liquor and this measure is dedicated to them and their concerns,†Kumar was quoted as saying by The Hindustan Times.
The state will lose more than $588 million annually due to complete liquor ban.
“People will now use the money invested in liquor to add nutrition to their plates, avoid disease and economic ruination. That offsets all revenue concerns,†Kumar said.
Though bars, clubs and hotels will not be allowed to serve liquor, military personnel have been exempted from the ban as the military regulates their supply of liquor through their own mechanism.
The cabinet has also decided to strictly impose the 1991 guidelines which allowed the consumption of ‘neera’ (drink from palm trees before sunrise). The cabinet, however, banned the consumption of toddy (after sunrise when the palm tree liquid gets fermented and gains alcoholic properties).
Liquor manufacturing companies can manufacture liquor within the state, but cannot sell the same within the state.
“Besides, they have to abide by rules like having a digital lock system and the GPS monitoring equipment in vehicles transporting the liquor manufactured in outlets in Bihar to places outside the state for sale,†Kumar said.
A special high-level committee, headed by the Development Commissioner, will study how to make use of toddy trees more profitable. The committee will also include Principal Secretaries of departments like Industries, Forest, and Environment, Excise, Cooperative and COMFED (Bihar State Milk Co—Operative Federation Ltd.).
“Survey has brought to light that more than Rs 6,000 annually could be generated from a toddy tree by this means which is far more than earned through the sale of fermented toddy drink,†said Kumar.
The decision to ban liquor was taken after considering the health, social, and criminal issues created by liquor consumption.
Gujarat, Nagaland, and Mizoram have already banned the sale and consumption of liquor completely while partial prohibition exists in Kerala.