Bihar mulls death penalty for making illicit liquor

The Bihar government is bringing a Bill to award capital punishment for manufacturing illicit liquor once prohibition comes into effect in the State from April 1, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Wednesday.

The government will bring in legislation in the ongoing budget session of the Assembly against liquor sale in which there would be a provision of capital punishment for those caught manufacturing illicit liquor, he said.

Partial prohibition The Bihar government has decided to impose prohibition of country and spiced liquor in the State and restrict the sale of Indian Made Foreign Liquor from April 1. For sustaining livelihood of those involved in the business of liquor, the government has offered them to sell products of Sudha Dairy from their counters.

“The officials have told me that they have received over 200 applications so far for opening Sudha Dairy outlets in place of those selling liquor from across the State,” Kumar told reporters in his Assembly chamber.

The State-run Bihar State Milk Cooperative Federation Ltd markets its products under the brand name Sudha Dairy. Kumar expressed optimism that many more applications would pour in from different parts of the State.

Campaign He said a comprehensive campaign was under way to convince boozers to give up drinking.

“More than 40 lakh volunteers, including members of self help groups, are going from house to house to ask people to give up the habit of drinking,” he said.

Moreover, students in 72,000 government schools in the State were given a declaration form which they have to get signed by their parent not to touch liquor.

Kumar said officials were identifying habitual boozers for treatment in de-addiction centres. Every district will have at least one centre.

He asserted that prohibition would bring in a social revolution.