As the Bihar government gears up to ban countrymade and composite liquor from April next year, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has offered liquor shop owners the option of selling milk and milk products in their shops after the ban is enforced. The opposition BJP, which has been putting pressure on the state government to enforce complete prohibition, mocked the suggestion and accused the CM of deflecting the issue. The BJP also said it would launch a campaign from January to push for a complete liquor ban. Meanwhile, the Bihar State Milk Cooperative Federation (Compfed) has started exploring the option of allotting Sudha (state government brand) shops to willing liquor vendors. A Compfed official said: “That way, we can also boost our revenue. We will await proposals from such shop owners to go ahead. If even 60-70 per cent liquor shop owners come forward, it would be a good move.” Bihar Education Minister Ashok Kumar Choudhary echoed Nitish: “We are going for a phase-wise liquor ban. The CM had promised it, especially as the women of rural areas almost unanimously demanded it. Opening milk parlours is a good suggestion.” In Delhi on Sunday, Nitish had said the the government had alternative employment plans for liquor sellers, such as selling milk. The education department is also set to introduce a deaddiction awareness course in its Akshar Aanchal Yojna, a popular scheme for adult illiterate women. The government will also open deadddiction centres in all hospitals of 38 districts. The BJP, however, stuck to its allegation of Nitish “buckling under pressure from RJD chief Lalu Prasad” on the former’s election promise. BJP legislature party leader Sushil Kumar Modi said: “The government is clearly going back on its own word because of two power centres”. Former leader of Opposition Nand Kishore Yadav said: “Nitish is trying to hide behind headlines with milk parlours. There has to be corresponding increase in milk production. The CM and Comfed should tell us how they will supply milk for so many shops.” There are about 6,500 liquor shops including around 1,000 foreign liquor shops in Bihar.
