Imphal: As the tourist season gets running, the Manipur government has partially lifted liquor prohibition anticipating a turnaround in tourist traffic.

As per a gazette notification dated December 6, liquor sales will now be permitted in all district  headquarters, the greater Imphal area, tourist locations and registered hotels with not less than 20 lodging rooms. The announcement marked an end to the 30-year-long ban on liquor that came into force in 1991.

“In exercise of the powers conferred under proviso to sub-section (2) of section 1 of Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act 1991 (Manipur Act No. 4 of 1991), the governor of Manipur hereby withdraws the said Act from the areas of the state of Manipur”, read the official notification.

With this move, the BJP-led government of Manipur can now expect to earn more revenue from excise duty, value-added tax, and distribution of liquor licences.

The Liquor Prohibition Act of 1991 was originally passed by the Manipur People’s Party government with RK Ranbir Singh at the helm.

The liquor ban was the culmination of a long-running civil society campaign against alcohol led by Meira Paibis - “the women torchbearers” - of Manipur.

Insurgent groups have also campaigned actively to reduce the incidence of alcoholism in Manipur. Notably, this latest development comes days after the federal government inked a "peace agreement" with the outlawed United National Liberation Front of Manipur (UNLF), which is among the oldest insurgent outfits in Manipur, largely operating out of the jungles of Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Welcoming the move, the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC), the apex body of alcoholic beverages in the country, said the Manipur government “would not only earn Rs 600-700 crore as annual tax revenue but also help tackle the menace of illegal liquor sales.” The group has now urged the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar, where similar prohibitions are in place, to also make relaxations “to avert hooch tragedy.”

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