Counting virtues of prohibition, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said sale of "Rasgulla" has increased by 16.25 per cent in past seven months since ban on alcohol in the state.
"Sale of Rasgulla has increased by 16.25 per cent in the past seven months since prohibition came into effect in Bihar," Kumar said addressing a Chetna sabha as part of his "Nishchaya yatra" here in Bihar's East Champaran district.
In addition, sale of healthy foods like Peda, paneer and Dahi Matha (product of curd) has also risen since ban on liquor was clamped in Bihar in April, he said.
Yesterday, the Chief Minister had reeled figure of hike in sale of milk in the wake of prohibition by 11 per cent.
Kumar was addressing a rally here on his second stop of Nishchay yatra that started yesterday from Bettiah to take feedback from people on prohibition as well as on "seven resolves" which has been adopted by the government as "policy of governance" for next five years.
"Seven resolves" include civic amenities like drinking water, toilet, roads and electricity for every household.
Kumar read figures to claim a substantial drop in crime rate after banning liquor, spiced and domestic as well as Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in the past seven months.
With Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh and state police chief P K Thakur present on the dias, Kumar claimed that heinous crimes have seen a slide.
Murder cases have dropped by 36 per cent in between April 1 to October 31, this year as compared to during same period in 2015, he said.
Likewise, dacoity decreased by 25 per cent, riots by 40 per cent, kidnapping for ransom by 56 per cent and road accidents by 21 per cent, Kumar, who has taken the task of prohibition in a mission mode, said dwelling on impacts of liquor ban.
The programme focuses on providing free power
connection to 50 lakh households above the poverty line who are still deprived of power.
Below Poverty Line (BPL) families are already covered in the rural electrification programme, Kumar said.
The CM made it clear that the government would provide free electricity connection and not free power.
Beneficiaries will have to pay for the power consumed by them, the chief minister said.
Bihar has been improving on power front and according to the latest data the state has daily 3362 MW of power supply.
Accompanied by ministers Awdesh Kumar Singh and Ram Vichar Rai, Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh and state police chief P K Thakur, Kumar talked about prohibition and urged the women in particular to stand guard against those illegally indulging in liquor trade and consumption.
