Strange are the ways of Nitish Kumar Government. On the one hand it has imposed total prohibition but on the other it has not only allowed liquor manufacturing in the State but also decided to waive all taxes on liquor manufacturing units in bid to lure wine industries to come and set up their plants in Bihar. The only condition is that they will not sell their products in Bihar but only outside.
The total prohibition was implemented in the first week of April and since then strict provisions have been enforced resulting into the arrests of several thousand people and confiscation of million liters of Indian Made Foreign liquor (IMFl) and country liquor.
With the assent of the Governor on the new prohibition bill, ways has been cleared for introducing new legislation which carries “draconian” provisions. The Government’s decision exempting liquor manufacturing from tax, which was cleared by the State Cabinet on Tuesday last, came as a surprise. At least 15 liquor manufacturing units are operational in Bihar. “The dry Bihar is inviting liquor companies to come and set up their units here,” said former Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi. He revealed that the existing units supplied 7.91 lakh liters of IMFl to neighbouring .
