Patna, Dec 7 (IANS): Congress Legislative Party leader Ajit Sharma has claimed that the Bihar government is unable to effectively implement the liquor ban in the state. Hence, it is better for the government to lift the ban.

"Liquor was banned with good intentions but the ban's implementation is not proper. Liquor is available everywhere in the state. Hence, it is better for the government to lift the ban," Sharma said.

"At present, the state government is losing revenue to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore because of the liquor ban," Sharma said.

The Congress is one of the alliance partners of the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar. It is for the first time that a senior Congress leader has demanded the rollback of the liquor ban.

Earlier, former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi had demanded the rollback of the ban. He had pointed out that it is the poor people who become victims of this law while the mafias are running a parallel economy of Rs 20,000 crore in the state.

Former union minister RCP Singh also advocated the rollback of the liquor ban. He said that tourists avoid coming to Bihar only due to the ban. Plane passengers are being warned every time they land at the airports of Bihar.