IMPHAL: A little more than a year after it decided to partially lift prohibition to boost the economy and check health hazards caused by spurious alcohol, the Manipur cabinet on Monday legalised liquor in the state.
The move comes amid an unceasing ethnic conflict gripping the state and a campaign against drug and alcohol abuse purportedly owing to the ethnic strife.
Headed by chief minister N Biren Singh, the cabinet meeting convened in his office complex here in the evening, approved manufacture, production, possession, export, import, transport, purchase, sale and consumption of liquor. A gazette notification incorporating detailed rules and regulation for the liquor legalization would be published on Wednesday, an official said.
The state government is expecting an annual revenue of around Rs 600-700 crore post liquor legalization, he added.
Manipur became a dry state after it enacted the "Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act" in 1991.
Prohibition was partially lifted last year However, it gives an exemption to brew liquor by scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST) communities under their traditional system and customary laws.
On September 20 last year, the state cabinet had partially lifted the prohibition, allowing sale and consumption of liquor at the district headquarters, hotels having not less than 20 beds, and the locally brewed country liquor would be exported outside the state.
The decision was taken after the government discussed the fact that consumption of spurious liquor has been posing a serious threat to public health and life in addition and also impacting the state's economy. Various tribal and ST communities brew liquor under their respective customary and traditional systems in the state since ages. The popular brewing areas, among others, are Sekmai and Phayeng in Imphal West district and Andro in Imphal East.
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