Nitish Kumar orders free power connection to all in Bihar

Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav showered praise on Nitish and said that his party has fulfilled the promise made to the women of Bihar by banning liquor in the state.

But the ground reality is that prohibition is likely to turn into a sham by helping the liquor mafia to become all-powerful and control the distribution while State is deprived of the taxes- an unfortunate reality.

Mr. Kumar said people from the low income groups were the worst-hit because of the consumption of liquor.

The chief minister admitted the potential loss of revenue.

The decision found rare support from a key political rival.

M K Stalin Stalin added that several women had requested him to close the TASMAC shops, during his “Namakku Naamey” campaign and he vowed to eradicate liquor menace if the DMK comes to power.

Naval Kishore Singh, one of Bihar’s oldest liquor retailers, said: “In 2005, Bihar used to generate Rs 295 crore of revenue from liquor sales”. “For now we don’t know whether the ban will be restricted to country liquor or every drink containing alcohol”.

Sources said at least nine to ten crore bottles of 200ml country liquor is sold every month across the state.

Free electricity connection was one of the seven promises made by Kumar ahead of the assembly election in the Grand Alliance Manifesto. But the ban had to be lifted following huge losses in revenue and also because prohibition led to a proliferation in black-market activities such as bootlegging. Sale and consumption of liquor is now banned in Gujarat, Nagaland, Manipur and Lakshwadeep. Excise officials clarified, however, that there will be no ban on production.