The Bihar government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has brought a new scheme to support those leaving the business of liquor and finding a new livelihood. The government will provide assistance to people who leave the liquor trade in the state which has a liquor ban in place.
An amount of Rs 1 lakh will be provided to such people who take up this scheme and move away from their current business involving alcohol, as per a report by India Today. The scheme aims to curb the illegal alcohol trade in the state as well as the problem of spurious liquor or hooch.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar inaugurated a program organised on drug de-addiction day. He said, “We are strictly implementing prohibition in Bihar. Under the Sustainable Livelihood Scheme, assistance is being given to the people associated with the liquor business to start another job. A large number of people have taken advantage of this.”
“It is necessary for people to be aware of prohibition. The social reform campaign has to be continued continuously. The state will also progress and everyone will progress,” Kumar added.
Alcohol has been banned in Bihar since April 5, 2016. Offenders are liable for serious punishment including a prison term of up to 10 years. A Liquor Amendment Bill was passed by the Bihar government in March 2022 and was implemented from April 1.
The Bihar government has tried its best to make the liquor ban a success but it hasn’t exactly gone to plan. Upendra Kushwaha, the party's national parliamentary board chairman of Nitish Kumar’s party JD-U had recently admitted the liquor ban in Bihar has not been successful.
"Though the ban on liquor has not been successful in Bihar, the society has benefited from the prohibition enormously," Kushwaha had said earlier this month.
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