PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday called for a fresh survey to study the impact of prohibition, which his government had imposed in the state more than seven years ago.
Kumar made a remark to the effect at a government function organised on the occasion of 'Nashamukti Diwas' (Deaddiction Day), celebrated on this date every year when government officials and other public figures take the pledge to carry forward the state's fight against intoxicants.
In addition, it would collect data on its direct or indirect effect on people's socio-economic condition. Initially, state excise and prohibition department has decided to conduct door to door survey and it would cover one lakh residential premises spread over 38 districts. The survey will be completed within 12 weeks.
"The place where I had spent my childhood was free from the vice. When I came to Patna to pursue an engineering degree, the rented accommodation where I stayed had people in the neighbourhood who drank and created nuisance," said the Bihar CM.
He recounted the state's short-lived tryst with prohibition under the rule of his mentor Karpoori Thakur who became the chief minister in the 1970s, as the leader of the Janata Party.
"But the government did not last for more than two years and the ban on liquor was scrapped by the subsequent regime. We took the step in April, 2016, despite stiff opposition from many high and mighty. A survey conducted in 2018 showed the positive results," said Kumar.
"As per the survey, the loss in revenue was more than offset by the money people were saving and spending on improving their economic condition and ensuring better education for their children. Besides, there are studies by the World Health Organisation which enlist harmful effects of alcohol consumption, including fatal road accidents," said Kumar.
"I would urge the people here to consider a fresh survey which would give a fresh estimate of the impact of prohibition. Based on the findings, we would introduce fresh measures. But I must make it clear that prohibition is there to stay, for as long as I am in charge," asserted Kumar.
Sources said that 2,500 families are to be contacted in each district during the survey. In addition, 40 people would be interviewed in each district. Besides, there will be four focus groups that will hold discussions with the people concerned.
The data will be collected on a day-to-day basis digitally. Officials posted at the headquarters will monitor the survey work from time to time and submit their reports on a regular basis. The report will be prepared in both Hindi and English. The department has already invited tenders from the institutions willing to conduct the survey.
The survey report has to be submitted to the government by the end of March 2024. The institution awarded the contract will have to maintain transparency in the survey at all costs. Prohibition was imposed in Bihar on April 1, 2016.
Earlier, a survey was conducted by Panchayati Raj chair of Chanakya National Law University through Bihar Rural Livelihood Mission (Jeevika) across 33,805 villages in 534 blocks in all 38 districts.
A total of 1,022,467 people were covered under the survey. In the study, 4.39 per cent of people admitted that they were still consuming liquor. The study claimed that nearly 95 per cent of people were off liquor in the state.
(With inputs from PTI)
