Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday reiterated that his government is committed to enforce liquor ban or prohibition in the state. M I Khan/ Rediff.com report from Patna.
"We are committed, we will implement a liquor ban in Bihar," Nitish Kumar said after he launched an anti-liquor campaign to create awareness to encourage voluntary prohibition in Patna.
The anti-liquor campaign kicked off by Nitish Kumar will involve women and children to create awareness of ill effects of liquor and help them to encourage voluntary prohibition.
Nitish Kumar said the state government will ban liquor in phase wise.
"Total liquor ban in Bihar is part of our seven resolves that will have to be implemented as promised to people during the last assembly polls," he said.
Nitish Kumar reiterated that liquor ban will be enforced across the state from April 1, but total ban will be made in phase wise. Bihar will first ban country-made liquor followed by Indian-made foreign liquor.
"We want help, cooperation and participation of all to make it a social movement," Nitish Kumar said.
"Do not hesitate to destroy 'bhattis' (manufacturing units of country liquor) if need arises and complaint to the call centre," Kumar said while launching a campaign to make prohibition a mass movement in the state.
The chief minister said a designated cell would be set up in Patna for strict monitoring of prohibition decision and its telephone numbers would be advertised so that citizens could inform, if they see illegal trade in liquor after prohibition comes into force.
Urging women to make the liquor ban in Bihar a mass movement, Kumar said he decided to go for it to fulfil his poll promise that if he returned to power, their wish to stop sale of liquor which ruins families would be fulfilled.
Prohibition will be imposed in Bihar in phases as part of which there would be a total ban on country liquor from April 1, Kumar said.
However, India Made Foreign Liquor would be available in municipal and town council areas at limited government outlets run by Bihar State Beverages Corporation Limited, which operates under the state excise department.
"After six months, sale of IMFL will also be stopped and there will be a complete ban on liquor," he said.
On the criticism by opposition on rationale in allowing sale of IMFL while banning country liquor from April 1, 2016, Kumar said this decision has been taken to make the plan practical and implementable.
In an apparent dig at states where prohibition is in place, Kumar said, "We don't want to go like them where there is prohibition on liquor but alcohol is available at home on payment secretly."
Bihar government has written to neighbouring states requesting them to order strict vigil on bordering districts to ensure illegal transportation of liquor to Bihar do not take place after April 1, 2016, he said.
Special care would also be taken on porous Bihar-Nepal border to check illegal trade of alcohol.
Kumar asked state police chief P K Thakur, who was present at the programme, to ensure that police extends all assistance in enforcing the ban on liquor.
"It’s known that no illegal trade of manufacturing hooch can take place without the knowledge of the police station. Hence, police have a special role to put an end to this surreptitious trade," he added.
The department of mass education is working as the nodal agency along with six other departments, to reach out to millions of families across 8,444 panchayats spread in 38 districts.
Nitish Kumar on November 26 announced a ban on alcohol from April 1 in view of demand of the women.
According to officials, the ban decision was expected to impact the state government's financial health.
Bihar gets around Rs 3,650 crore in revenue from liquor sales annually.
