Bastar’s tribals seem to have taken fancy to the Indian Made Foreign liquor (IMFl). The tribals in Bastar traditionally brew their own country liquor using the forest produce Mahua. The number of foreign liquor shops now exceed that of country liquor in the insurgency infested regions.
The written reply of Public Health Engineering Minister Amar Agrawal to Congress member Deepak Baij in the Chhattisgarh Assembly stated that there are a total of 21 foreign liquor shops operational in Bastar division and 13 country liquor shops in the districts of Jagdalpur, Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Narayanpur and Kanker during the current year (2014-15).
He informed that the State Government received revenue of Rs66.30 crore from the liquor shops in Bastar division during 2014-15. As per the data made available, Jagdalpur has three foreign liquor shops and two country liquor shops, Sukma has two foreign liquor shops and as many country liquor shops, Bijapur had three foreign liquor shops and two country liquor shops, Dantewada had four foreign liquor shops and one country liquor shop, Narayanpur and one country foreign liquor shop and one country liquor shop and Kanker had the maximum eight foreign liquor shops and five country liquor shops.
It may be mentioned here that Chhattisgarh produces large quantity of Mahua (Madhuca longifolia). Earlier, its leaves were being sold to other States. But, in order to provide job to local villagers, the State Government has installed 20 Mahua processing units in the State.