After liquor ban, Nitish calls for drug de-addiction

After liquor ban, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday pitched for drug de-addiction across the state, while saying that it would lead the whole nation to the path of development and progress.

"We can see the progress and good results of liquor ban in major parts of the country. Bihar government will now be working with the motive of Drug De-addiction in each and every part of the state," said Nitish while addressing at a seminar on International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Patna.

A complete ban was imposed on liquor in Bihar from April 1, 2016.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court provided relief to several liquor manufacturers of Bihar by extending the time limit for disposing old stocks from May 31 to July 31.

A vacation bench of the apex court headed by Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and also comprising Justice Deepak Gupta extended the time limit from May 31 to July 31 to dispose of old stocks, including raw material, lying in their ware houses.

The Nitish Kumar-led government last year notified the new Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016 which ensured complete ban on sale and consumption of liquor - both Indian Made Foreign Liquor and country-made - in the state.