PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said on Tuesday that 1.6 crore people in the state have given up drinking liquor since prohibition was enforced in April 2016.
Addressing a meeting of Jeevika workers at Bhagalpur, Nitish said a similar survey was carried out in 2018. “The latest survey shows that 1.6 crore people have abandoned consuming alcohol since the state came under total prohibition,” he said.
He revealed that prohibition was implemented on the demand of Jeevika workers at a meeting in Patna, ahead of the assembly polls in Bihar in 2015. “I had promised them that prohibition will be invoked if voted to power again,” he recalled.
The prohibition was implemented within six months of his return to power. The awareness campaign was launched in the state to make the people aware of the consequences of the consumption of alcohol. In April 2016, the law came into effect, he said.
Calling upon Jeevika workers to help the government machinery in the implementation of the prohibition law more effectively, Nitish said that around 1.28 crore families were associated with self-help groups (SHGs).
“Initially it was decided to set up only 10 lakh SHGs in the state. But the number increased manifold,” he said, adding that the government's initiatives towards women empowerment were now bearing fruits.
Referring to women empowerment, Nitish said that 50% of seats were reserved for women in the Panchayati Raj institutions in 2006. As a result, a number of women were elected as mukhiyas, sarpanchs and panchs and ward members etc.
He revealed that Bihar became the first state in the country to appoint a large number of women in the state police force. “Now we have made provisions for grant of the loan of Rs.5 lakh for entrepreneurship. Besides, 35% seats have been reserved for women in government jobs,” he pointed out.
He exhorted the people to make prohibition and campaign against child marriage and dowry a grand success. Earlier, he highlighted the development works in the field of health, education, road, and other sectors during his tenure as chief minister.