Bihar liquor ban: A year later, state still not sure whether to hail move

Govt says ban has led to a spike in sales of FMCG, milk and sweets, but others doubt these claims

It was a year ago that Bihar decided to end its tryst with alcohol. The decision was celebrated with much fanfare during the three-day Bihar Diwas. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was beaming with pride. “You can’t imagine how much the image of Bihar will blossom if prohibition is successful. The demand for prohibition will rise from every nook and corner,” he said on March 22, 2016.

A year later, the benefits are still being debated. The state government claims crimes and accidents have fallen, which the critics of prohibition contest. While the government insists the social climate has improved, the