The cabinet took the key decision of lifting the ban on sale of liquor after deliberating on negative health issues effected by the unabated consumption of liquor and the prospects of generating income out of the sales of liquor.
TFM Report
Manipur cabinet on Tuesday decided to lift the ban on sales of liquor under the Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act 1991 (amended in 2002) in select areas.
According to Tribal Affairs and Hills Minister Letpao Haokip, the government, the sale of liquor will now be allowed in district headquarters, tourists’ spots, security camps, and hotels/lodges with 20 beds and a person has to produce receipts when transporting liquor from one place to the other.
The cabinet took the key decision of lifting the ban on sales of liquor after deliberating on negative health issues effected by the unabated consumption of liquor and the prospects of generating income out of the sales of liquor.
It has been projected that regulating liquor will give the state a minimum revenue of Rs 600 crore per annum. Selling of liquor in areas under cantonment, police battalions could not banned or regulated despite Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act 1991 (amended in 2002) being in force. The inability to enforce the act has led to consumption of low quality liquor illicitly sold in the state.
It may be mentioned that liquor prohibition was enforced across the state during the chief ministership of Raj Kumar Ranbir Singh government in April 1991 despite the availability of locally brewed alcoholic drinks in most areas of the state.
In 2002, when Okram Ibobi Singh was the chief minister, prohibition was lifted in the five hill districts of Manipur. The state Legislative Assembly passed the Manipur Liquor Prohibition (Amendment) Act, 2002 on July 31, 2002 lifting prohibition in the districts of Chandel, Churachandpur, Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul. In 2015, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh stated in the Manipur state assembly that the state government was looking at the option of lifting prohibition in the state.