No plan to ban liquor sale, says Jharkhand government

Ranchi, Dec 18: The Jharkhand government on Friday, Dec 18 said there is no plan to ban liquor sale in the state.

The state assembly was informed this in reply to a question by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Radha Krishna Kishore whether ban on liquor sale was mooted in the tate.

"The government should ban the liquor sale considering the economic condition of the people," the BJP leader said.

Jharkhand Water Resources Minister Chandra Prakash Choudhary, replying to this during question hour, said: "Warnings are put on the liquor bottles. No liquor shops will be opened where tribal population is more than 50 percent."

The BJP legislator then intervened and said: "Is revenue the reason for not banning the liquor sale?"

The minister assured the house ban on liquor sale would be considered in future.

Chief Minister Raghubar Das said awareness programmes should be launched against liquor consumption.

"The legislators raising the issue here should also organise awareness programme in their respective constituencies. The state government has already announced Rs.1 lakh (as reward) to that village where no one consumes liquor," Das said.

IANS