Liquor prohibition in Bihar: Patna division records 27% decline in cognizable offences

PATNA: A complete ban on alcohol in Bihar has started showing positive results just within three weeks since the enforcement of total prohibition on April 5.
Six districts of Patna division have reported 27% decline in the number of cognizable offences in between April 1 to 23 this year compared to corresponding period in 2015. The number of road accidents and casualties in such accidents have also reported sharp decline.
"The total number of cognizable offences in between April 1 to 23 last year in Patna division's six districts (Patna, Nalanda, Bhojpur, Buxar, Rohtas and Kaimur) was 3,178.After enforcement of prohibition, the number of similar offences during the corresponding period in 2016 has reduced to 2328. Thus, the cases of cognizable offences have reported more than 27% decline due to prohibition," divisional commissioner (Patna) Anand Kishor informed CM Nitish Kumar during a review meeting here on Monday.
The meeting, chaired by the CM and also attended by deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, rural development minister Shravan Kumar and a few others, was convened to review the status of enforcement of prohibition, impact of dwindling water level and government departments' readiness to implement Nitish's 'Saat Nischay (seven resolves) programme in the districts of Patna division.
Furnishing data collected from six districts, the divisional commissioner further informed the CM that the incidents of conflicts and social tension during religious and public processions have also reported sharp decline after the ban on alcohol, leading to improvement in general law and order scenario in the division.
The CM asked the officials to maintain extra vigil on inter-state borders, check-posts and barriers to ensure complete ban on consumption and transportation of alcohol across the state. He said, the persons crossing inter-state borders with sole purpose of liquor drinking, should be checked with breath-analysers on their return inside Bihar.
The CM further asked the officials to make all necessary arrangements and opening of sufficient number of counters at district and sub-division level to ensure smooth implementation of the first-of-its-kind path-breaking law -Public Grievances Redressal Act- across the state from coming June.
Kishore further informed the meeting that open tenders have been invited in all six districts for opening the proposed 'district registration and counselling centre' to implement the programmes under the CM's seven resolves. He also said locations have been identified in all 98 blocks of the division for opening block-level 'language communication and computer skill knowledge centre.'
CM said the state government, under the seven resolves programme, has planned to open at least one general nursing training college, on engineering college, one woman industrial training institute (ITI) and one para-medical institution in each district and asked the officials to work in this direction.