Bihar sees rise in sale of rasgullas after introduction of total prohibition in the state

While addressing a 'Chetna Sabha' as part of his 'Nischay Yatra', chief minister Nitish Kumar has revealed that introduction of total prohibition in the state has begun to yield positive results and one of these is the increase in sale of rasgullas.
This has increased by about 16 per cent in the past seven months ever since prohibition came into effect.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 11 November 2016.

In the course of talking on the virtues of prohibition, the CM indicated that post prohibition, there has been increase in sale of 'rasgullas' and other varieties of sweets like 'peda' 'paneer' and 'khoya' and people are becoming healthy.
Apart from increase in sale of 'rasgullas', there has also been an 11% spurt in the sale of milk in Bihar since the implementation of prohibition. Simultaneously, there has been a substantial drop in crime rate after banning all types of liquor including Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). Heinous crimes have reduced and murder cases have dropped by 36 per cent in between April 1 to October 31, this year when compared with the same period in 2015.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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Bangaloreans not getting beer, have to opt for IMFL

Beer lovers of Bengaluru are in a spot of bother because their favorite restaurants are no longer serving beer and the patrons have to choose IMFL to quench their thirst. This is because the government earns negligible excise duty on the sale of beer when compared to IMFL or Indian Made foreign liquor which is a money spinner for them. Hence, the excise authorities are forcing restaurants and liquor shops to procure higher amounts of IMFL by restricting supply of beer.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 22 June 2016.

Duty on liquor is a major revenue-earner for the state government and sale of IMFL had registered a 15.89% increase in 2013-14 but has gone down by 7.58% in 2014-15. Obviously, there is "pressure from the government" to get excise licence holders to sell more IMFL.
Alcohol content is more in IMFL and it is more harmful than beer, hence people normally do not go in for that. While there is a move to convince people to quit alcohol, the Excise Department wants them to consume liquor. A real paradox.


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New entrant into the world tourism - liquor tourism

The ban of liquor in Bihar has led to the emergence of a new form of tourism - it is liquor tourism. People of Bihar need to have liquor for various religious rites from marriages to funerals and, since the product has been banned in the state, the eager beavers have taken to crossing over into neighboring state of UP to quench their thirst.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 3 May 2016.

It seems the police caught an old woman of Buxar who was in possession of a dozen odd 200 ml bottles into her cloth bag. On interrogation she fell to her knees and requested the police to let her go because she was taking the liquor to complete some religious rituals of her tribal society following a death in her family.
Apart from people like this old woman, there are a large number of youths and middle-aged people who cross the border using two-wheelers and SUVs to reach beer and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) outlets in UP. They want to set the "mood for celebrations" before rejoining their marriage parties back home.
Subsequent to the blanket ban on liquor trade and consumption by the Bihar government on April 5, tipplers from neighboring Bihar have been pouring into UP - their targets are the liquor shops of Ballia, Ghazipur and Chandauli along the border. And, the number of such 'tourists' has grown with the onset of the marriage season. Some shops are seeing overcrowding.


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Old Monk not on the death bed assures Dyer Meakin Breweries

#oldmonk #IMFL There had been rumors doing the rounds that the famous Old Monk brand of rum was on the death bed but, its manufacturers Dyer Meakin Breweries has hastened to assure that it is not being taken off the market and that its production would stop.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 14 July 2015.

The manufacturers have said that the figures are misleading. They have admitted that Sales have dropped in a few South Indian outlets, but have revealed that the brand is not doing badly. Old Monk is still India's favorite rum and it will not die, it is not going anywhere.
It has been hinted that liquor cartels are being formed who are trying to monopolize markets.
Old Monk is the pride of Mohan Meakin and thousands of people, from breweries in Ghaziabad and Himachal Pradesh to its godowns in Dehradun, are involved in the manufacturing of this product.
AS to its history, it was launched in 1954, and held pride of place as the largest selling dark rum in the world and the biggest Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) brand. Sales figures show that there has been a 54% decline in sales between 2010 and 2014.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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