Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Nov 4: Karnataka may likely walk in the footsteps of Bihar, prohibiting alcohol in state. A 31-member delegation from Karnataka State Temperance Board (KSTB) headed by Chairman HC Rudrappa, visited Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to discuss the different aspects of the ban.

Nitish Kumar said that the ban has ushered a ‘social movement’. A drastic change in lifestyle and standard of living was noticed after the ban was implemented in April 2016.

Initially, the ban was planned in a phased manner. In April 2016, the ban began in villages and slowly intended to move into small towns and lastly cities. However, complaints poured in about alcohol shops in urban areas were hampering the effectiveness of the prohibition. Hence a total ban was announced, says Kumar.

The CM reveals that the state lost revenue of Rs 5000 crore due to the ban but this has stopped people spending Rs 10,000 crore on liquor. People are now spending money on productive things, he adds.

Nitish Kumar adds that the ban was not easy and a strong will was needed to take decisions like the implementation of prohibition of alcohol. People break laws and the government and law enforcement agencies are vigilant and take action against such people.

A special law was also formed to ban liquor consumption in the state.

As per reports, a total of 41,314 cases have been registered pertaining to liquor ban so far. A total of 7,29,494 litre of country liquor and 8,69,351 litre of foreign liquor has been ceased. A total of 58,379 people have been arrested for not cooperating with the ban.

With liquor ban being a success, the Bihar chief minister said that his government plans to tackle social evils like child marriage and dowry and completely wipe it from the state.