Patna: The Nitish Kumar government on Friday unveiled its strategy to enforce prohibition of alcohol in Bihar in phases. There would be a total ban on country liquor from April 1 next year.
However, Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) would be available at limited government outlets.
Initially there would be total ban on sale of country liquor from new financial year starting from April 1, 2016, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said after a special cabinet meeting on Friday evening.
Limited shops run by Bihar State Beverages Corporation Limited (BSBCL) will sell Indian Made Foreign Liquor in municipal and town council areas from April 1, 2016.
Kumar said BSBCL, which runs under aegis of state excise department, would take up the responsibility of retail sale of Indian Made Foreign Liquor and would run outlets under strict guideline.
"Earlier BSBCL was involved only in wholesale trade of IMFL but from now it would take up direct responsibility of retail also," Kumar said.
He said after BSBCL takes up the job of Indian Made Foreign Liquor sale, almost 90 per cent of present liquor outlets would be shut down thus minimizing the ill effect of alcohol consumption in the state.
The Chief Minister, who had called the special cabinet meeting to approve the new excise policy, said his government decided to enforce phase-wise prohibition in Bihar to make it "more effective."
However, he did not tell when the IMFL would come under prohibition.
Kumar said he was not bothered about revenue loss on account of prohibition.
"The state is drawing around Rs. 5000 crore from sale of liquor at present. I do not bother about losing revenue for a great social cause (banning liquor to save poor families getting ruined on this count)," he said.
