Patna,(BiharTimes): Following the promise made by chief minister Nitish Kumar to a group of women on July 9 last the new excise and prohibition minister Abdul Jalil Mastan said the state government is determined to impose ban on sale of liquor in the state even if its exchequer had to face annual loss of about Rs3,500 crore.
Making this announcement after taking charge he said “the chief minister had promised to ban the sale of liquor and we will definitely implement it.”
However, he hastened to add that the prohibition would be imposed from the next financial yar and added that the result would be visible within six months.
According to him most women, especially from Dalit and economically weaker sections, have been protesting the rising sale of liquor and demanding ban on it.
The minister said he would discuss the issue with the chief minister before going ahead with any such proposal.
It needs to be mentioned that on July 9, Nitish Kumar, while addressing a workshop of over 1,000 women from all over the state at Shri Krishna Memorial Hall in Patna, declared that prohibition would be imposed if he comes to power.
He made this promise after many women strongly protested against the New Excise Policy of the state government, which came into effect on July 1, 2007.
They charged that the excise policy might have increased the revenue of the state, but it has a detrimental impact on the health of the people as well as society. Thus more money is spent on treatment and health sector.
Besides, rampant alcoholism led to rise in violence, atrocity and crime against women.