 "Nitish Kumar (Photo: Facebook)")
Both houses of the Bihar legislature unanimously passed the new excise policy for the state, which carries upto capital punishment to those manufacturing or trading illicit liquor. The houses also adopted a resolution unanimously that its members will not consume liquor.
"Charity begins at home. If we are making a law, then we should unanimously pass a resolution from here itself. The message of unity in the form of a resolution that we will neither drink and nor promote drinking should go out to the people," Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Wednesday in the state assembly while intervening in a debate on the Bihar Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
The Chief Minister announced that the prohibition will be implemented in two phases. In the first phase, there will be a complete prohibition in rural areas besides a complete ban on country-made liquor across the state, while Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) will be sold in limited areas of the state i.e. municipal corporations and councils.
"The Bihar Excise (Amendment) Bill 2016 talks about complete prohibition in the state. The provisions of the new Bill that incorporates some stringent measures will come into effect from April 1," Kumar said.
Referring to the Constitutional provision of Directive Principles of State Policy, Kumar said "it is the responsibility of the state to work towards implementing prohibition in the state. We are moving in that direction in a strategic manner and that's why we are implementing prohibition in villages in the first phase and later prohibition will be implemented in towns in second phase after a creating a proper atmosphere in this regard."
Describing some of the stringent provisions of the bill, Kumar said that those manufacturing or trading illicit liquor in the state in the event of hooch tragedy will be awarded punishment upto capital punishment. Similarly, there is a provision for life term sentence for those who manufacture and trade illicit liquor and whose consumption makes a person disabled or cause loss to the human body.
