New kind of social revolution in Bihar: Liquor traders want to sell milk; 300 apply for Sudha dairy outlets

PATNA: With the deadline for ban on sell and consumption of alcohol coming closer, there has started a mad scramble among liquor traders in Bihar to seek permission from the state government to sell Sudha dairy products.

Authorities said close to 300 liquor traders in the state have applied to open booths for Sudha dairy. All the applicants want to convert their liquor outlets into Sudha dairy counters.

“None will be allowed to face unemployment in the aftermath of closure of liquor shops from April 1 this year. Instead, all the liquor traders will be allotted Sudha booths at the places where they used to sell alcohol earlier,” Bihar excise and prohibition minister Abdul Jalil Mastan said today.

The Nitish Kumar government has announced to enforce total ban on sale and consumption of liquor from the new financial year under pressures from the women folk who said the drinking is ruining their family life.

As part of its strategy to enforce total liquor ban, the state government has already planned to bring out a strong legislation which will have a provision for death. Under the new legislation, the people found guilty of selling spurious liquor which ultimately leads to deaths could be awarded death. Consumption of spurious liquor has been causing many deaths in the state every year.

The new law will also have tough punishment for those caught drinking in public places or involved in illegal hoarding of liquor.

The government has already decided to give only one bottle of foreign liquor to tipplers in a day from the next financial year.