The proposed amendment to Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act include a clause to be inserted so as to allow manufacturing of liquor strictly for the purpose of export and in accordance with terms and conditions of a license, permit, pass or authorisation granted by the state government.
By Paojel Chaoba
After three decades of liquor prohibition imposed in the state of Manipur, brewing of liquor for sale outside the state is a likely possibility – post the upcoming Assembly monsoon session.
Manipur became a dry state after the Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act was imposed in the year 1991. However, the present BJP-led coalition government pushed for the amendment of the prohibition Act and the proposed (Second Amendment) Bill that was tabled in the state Assembly on July 20, 2018.
The proposed amendment includes a clause to be inserted which shall allow liquor to be manufactured strictly for the purpose of export and in accordance with terms and conditions of a license, permit, pass or authorisation granted by the state government.
The proposed amendment met with stiff resistance from the civil society organisations of the state and the opposition bench alike. However, the Manipur legislative assembly through a press communique in January 2021 issued by joint secretary Rohit Sapam stated that deputy chief minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh is presently examining the Bill which proposed to enable manufacture of local alcohol for sale outside the state.
A Select Committee was formed under the chairmanship of the deputy chief minister. The communique stated that that considering the importance of the matter, the committee solicited suggestions from the general public, experts, institutions, organisations etc., and the suggestions and opinions received would be recorded and be treated as confidential.
The Select Committee comprising of MLAs and the officials of the Manipur Assembly secretariat met on Wednesday to discuss the response solicited from the public.
Confirmed sources told TFM that the Select Committee after a threadbare discussion finally resolved that the manufacture of alcohol for sale outside the state could be allowed. It is highly probable that the Select Committee’s resolution of the Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act (Second Amendment) Bill may be tabled during the upcoming Assembly session which is slated to begin from August 20.
The reasons for the proposed amendment as raised by Yumnam Joykumar says that because of the prohibition, the state does not collect Excise duty and VAT on liquor and this has led to an eventual loss of an estimated revenue closer to 400 crore per year including employment generation.