Patna: The Bihar
government on Tuesday imposed a complete ban on liquor in the state, thereby becoming
the fourth Indian state to become complete alcohol-dry after Gujarat, Nagaland
and Mizoram.
From now on, no liquor,
be it homemade or foreign, will be available in any part of the state as the
government banned its supply in all hotels, bars and clubs. However, army
canteens have been kept outside the purview of the ban. The development comes
barely four days after the state government enforced a ban on sale, consumption
and manufacturing of homemade liquor, leaving around 45,000 villages completely
dry. However, foreign liquor was allowed to be sold from a little over 600
outlets in the town areas.
Bihar was compelled to
ban Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) brands after women started protesting
state government’s decision to allow consumption in urban areas.
Om March 30, the state
government had passed the new excise amendment bill for the state to enforce
partial ban on sale of alcohol in the state. The move was widely welcomed by
the people across the state as women celebrated the occasion, taking out
rallies and procession and smearing colors on each other faces. Even the
lawmakers in the state took a vow not to drink in future. More than 70,000
policemen followed suit soon as they too took a pledge not to drink. The
administrative officials and other staffs in the state too have announced to go
with the liquor ban.
The government’s sudden
move has surprised store and bar owners. The move is expected to cost the state
government about Rs 40 billion in revenues from taxes on alcohol sales.
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