In a bold move, the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC), representing leading Indian alcohol beverage firms, has once again urged the Bihar government to reconsider the “complete ban” on liquor in the state. This plea comes in the wake of Manipur’s recent decision to revoke prohibition, a move CIABC sees as beneficial for economic growth.
CIABC Director General, Vinod Giri, emphasized Manipur’s step forward, citing potential annual tax revenues of Rs. 600-700 crore and the positive impact on curbing illegal liquor sales and drug proliferation. Giri urged Bihar to follow suit, stating that prohibition has hindered the state’s growth, resulting in hooch tragedies and economic stagnation.
However, Bihar’s Prohibition and Excise Minister, Sunil Kumar, firmly asserted that prohibition was a unanimous policy decision of the state government, backed by both legislative houses. He highlighted the positive feedback from surveys, indicating improved quality of life and restored family bliss among the underprivileged.
The Manipur government, after a year of partial prohibition lift, completely lifted the ban on liquor, marking a significant change in a state that had been dry since 1991. In contrast, Bihar implemented total prohibition in 2016, with subsequent rule relaxations failing to curb illegal activities like smuggling and spurious liquor production.
Giri argued that Bihar’s prohibition policy had resulted in the proliferation of illegal liquor, hooch tragedies, crime syndicates, and a loss of legitimate government revenues. He cited over 300 deaths and nearly 500,000 pending cases since 2016 as consequences of the stringent policy.
The CIABC has consistently urged the Bihar government to end prohibition responsibly, suggesting that opening up the liquor trade could lead to economic empowerment for women. Giri dismissed the proposed door-to-door survey on prohibition, citing the National Family Health Survey 2019-20, which revealed Bihar consuming more liquor than Maharashtra, challenging the effectiveness of prohibition.
As Bihar grapples with alleged recent hooch tragedies, debates over the efficacy of prohibition persist. Experts suggest that deaths may be caused by various factors, not solely spurious liquor, and emphasize the need to address the dangerous substitutes available.
In response to the growing narcotics issue, the Bihar police recently reconstituted the Anti-Narcotics Task Force to monitor and combat substance abuse, reflecting the evolving challenges faced by the state.
