Sell milk and vegetables, Nitish tells liquor traders

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday asked those engaged in liquor trade to sell milk and vegetables from their outlets once prohibition comes into effect in the state from April 1.

Launching a campaign to boot out the bottle in Bihar, Nitish also exhorted women to build an atmosphere in the state through a social movement against ill effects of liquor. “When in July 2015, you complained it to me about the side-effects of liquor, I promised you that if I become chief minister again, I will enforce prohibition in Bihar. Now that I have fulfilled my promise, it’s the responsibility of everyone including women, DMs and SPs of districts to ensure that no such illicit liquor shop should flourish in their respective areas,” said Nitish.

Aware of the revenue loss of around Rs 4,000 crore per annum, Nitish said this could be offset through other means of taxation but “sharab-bandi toh hoga (prohibition will be implemented), albeit in a phase-wise manner.”

Reiterating that he won’t take a U-turn on his decision to enforce prohibition, he suggested to those engaged in the liquor business to sell milk and vegetables from their outlet. “I don’t want to make anyone unemployed. My advice to those engaged in liquor trade is to open milk booth or sell fresh vegetables. Why should someone sell liquor and destroy a person’s life?,” said Nitish.