Commercial Tax Minister Amar Agrawal said at least 335 liquor shops in the State have been closed down as a part of imposition of partial prohibition by the Government but that did not help reduce consumption.
In a written reply to Congress member Daleswar Sahu , the minster informed the Chhattisgarh Assembly that the sale of country liquor and spirit were on the rise. Agrawal said in the current year by January, more than 3.63 crore litres of proof liquor were consumed. Similarly more than 3.35 crore litres of spirit have been sold. He said the Chhattisgarh Government implemented partial prohibition in the State from April 1, 2011. Prior to the partial prohibition, there were 706 country liquor shops and 348 foreign liquor shops.
After partial prohibition, 286 country liquor shops and 49 foreign liquor shops were closed down, the Minister informed. Prior to partial prohibition, more than 3.53 crore proof litres of country liquor and more than 3.23 crore of proof litres were sold in 2010-2011. He said in the subsequent year, the sale of country made liquor was more than 3.06 crore proof litres while the sale of spirit was more than 3.39 crore litres. In 2012-13 it was more than 3.95 crore proof litres and more than 3.74 crore litres respectively, he said.