Apex liquor body writes to Bihar CM, urges to end prohibition

CIABC director general Vinod Giri said that he has been consistently trying to bring the facts before the chief minister since 2019, as liquor mafiosi had poured water over whatever noble intentions the government had behind enforcing the prohibition.

The Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC), the representative body of leading Indian alcohol beverage companies on November 12 wrote to the Nitish Kumar government and leaders from all constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to end liquor prohibition in the state after a series of deaths linked to consumption of spurious liquor was reported earlier this month.

Sale and consumption of alcohol is banned in Bihar since 2016. (HT FIle)

“Bihar is paying a heavy price for its prohibition policy in the form of proliferation of unlawful and spurious liquor, hooch tragedies, rise of crime syndicates and loss of legitimate government revenues. The government can impose special cess on sale of liquor to fund alcohol de-addiction and rehabilitation centres and put liquor trade under state control,” reads the letter from CIABC director general Vinod Giri, citing three presentations it had made before the chief minister to underline how prohibition, despite its good intent, was going astray with the emergence of liquor mafiosi.

Giri, who also hails from Patna, said that he has been consistently trying to bring the facts before the chief minister since 2019, as liquor mafiosi had poured water over whatever noble intentions the government had behind enforcing the prohibition.

“Since imposition of prohibition in 2016, over one-lakh crore liquor has been seized in the state. Even if seizure rate is considered 10%, it means around 10-crore-litre of illicit liquor reached Bihar. Besides, the entire police force is engaged in enforcing prohibition, which means lack of attention on other cognisable offences. Strong enforcement has also created fear psychosis in the private sector,” the letter further stated.

Maintaining that the state is losing out on revenue from the legitimate liquor trade which is pegged at around ₹10,000 crore per annum, the CIABC has urged the chief minister to direct liquor factories to hire 50% of their workforce as women which would lead to their economic self-reliance and empowerment.

Citing the National Family Health Survey 2019-20 report, the letter said that it clearly states that Bihar consumes more liquor than Maharashtra, which proves that prohibition has not worked. “Report also suggests that 90% of illegal sale of liquor is among poor and backward people and Bihar’s loss has turned out to be neighbour’s gain due to increase in liquor sale in border areas,” it added.

The letter further stated that prohibition is known to have not worked earlier in other states like Haryana, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. “Gujarat, by the way, does not have a complete ban as non-domiciles are permitted alcohol through licensed shops,” Giri added.