No more liquor sale in Bihar, restaurants, hotels also barred

There will be no more sale of liquor in Bihar. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced the state as a ‘dry state’ from Tuesday.

The government has decided to completely ban the sale and consumption of alcohol, including India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) with immediate effect.

The government has already banned the manufacturing, trade and consumption of country/spiced liquor in the state from 1st April. On November 19 last year, the government announced that it would enforce prohibition in phases. On Tuesday, the state Cabinet cleared the proposal for total ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol in the state."Bihar has become a dry state from today," Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced after the end of state cabinet meeting.

The announcement came as a surprise as the state government had earlier asked the Bihar State Beverage Corporation (BSBCL) to own limited number of IMFL shops in the state. With final decision, the state government would not issue any licenses for sale and consumption of liquor.

It has also banned the sale of wholesale or retail of IMFL in Bihar.

"With the announcement of total prohibition, there is ban on the sale and consumption of IMFL in big restaurants, hotels and clubs with immediate effect," stated the release issued by the state government.

The order has made it clear that it would not affect the Army's canteen. According to the release, anti-liquor campaign undertaken by the CM Nitish Kumar received a good response from the people across the state. Under the new Excise Policy, about 4,900 persons were arrested recently.

BSBCL has a stock of about 36,000 seized IMFL and the government has authorised the excise department to dispose it. There would be no ban on manufacturing units of IMFL in Bihar. The ban is only on the sale of IMFL. The manufacturing units can make supply to other states by using digital lock and GPS system in the vehicles. Nitish Kumar has described his government's decision to ban the alcohol as "a foundation of social change".