Bihar ban will be on all kinds of liquor: Minister

Claiming that “Nitish Kumar model of development” was taking Bihar towards becoming a fastest growing economy in the country, leaders of grand secular alliance said the report has motivated them to continue working for the development of the state.

He had earlier announced a ban on the sale of liquor from April 1, a major announcement since he came back to power for the fifth term.

After the policy it would be prepare, the government will bring it before public.

” People will say that even after the ban liquor will be sold illegally in the State but if it happens we’ll deal with that strongly”, said Mr. Kumar.

The CM, however, refused to state clearly whether prohibition would be only on country-made liquor or also on English brand.

The reports highlighted that doing away with a revenue of almost Rs 4,000 crore annually from liquor would not be easy in support of argument that ban would only be on domestic liquor. “(But) It will be a total ban”. The liquor ban was a key promise Nitish Kumar had made in his campaigning for the Bihar elections 2015.

Mastan said the poorest of the poor had been consuming liquor, destroying their families and their children’s education.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said that efforts are on to change the JD(U) symbol from arrow to “Chakra” (wheel) as the party lost many seats due to confusion among the voters over its symbol, which resembled to other parties.

According to officials, the decision of the government to impose a ban is expected to adversely affect the government’s financial health. “Everything will be there in the new Liquor policy”, he said refusing to go into details. He said the growth rate of 20.70 per cent recorded during 2012-13 when the BJP was a partner in the government declined by 3.1 percent during 2014-15.