Bihar yesterday decided to ban the sale of all forms of alcohol from all outlets including hotels and bars with immediate effect.
“Liquor will not be sold in any bar, pub or hotel from now onwards,” Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said at a televised press briefing in the state capital Patna.
“We are placing a complete ban on its sale in the state,” said Kumar, who had promised a ban on alcohol - a demand of women voters across Bihar - before he was re-elected in November 2015.
Kumar said there had been such a positive response to the ban on locally brewed alcohol that the government had decided to extend it to other liquor ahead of schedule.
The Bihar legislature had Wednesday passed a law banning locally brewed liquor from April 1.
The government had earlier said a complete ban on all alcohol would be introduced in a phased manner over six months beginning April 1.
“Women, children and youth have been driving this campaign for the ban on alcohol,” Kumar said.
Announcing the plan in November, Kumar had said the poor were consuming alcohol and it was having a negative impact on their families and their children’s education, while also being a major cause of domestic violence.
Kumar said yesterday the government would help create job and business opportunities for those economically affected by the ban. Deputy Chief Minister Tejashvi Yadav said: “This will prove to be a revolutionary step towards social equality, justice and change in the state.”
“We have taken this step keeping in mind the emotions of poor people, women, and children. It will benefit them a lot,” Yadav said.
Ruling Janata Dal (United) MP K C Tyagi said it was a big challenge to ban liquor in the state, but the government will do everything to ensure it works. “We are committed to ensuring a complete ban on liquor in the state.”
Asked how the government would ensure that no liquor is sold in the state, Tyagi said:
“We have a fool-proof blueprint ready to implement this law across the state. There is provision for stringent action against those who do not comply with the rules. We have made special arrangements at the border areas to prevent smuggling of liquor.”
Bihar has become the fourth state after Gujarat, Nagaland and Manipur to ban the sale of alcohol.