india

Updated: Nov 10, 2016 20:53 IST

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said the sale of rasgulla had increased by 16.25% since ban on alcohol in the state, pointing out to an economic benefit from the prohibition.

“Sale of rasgulla has increased by 16.25% in the past seven months since prohibition came into effect in Bihar,” Kumar said, apart from the sales of healthy foods such as peda, paneer and dahi matha (product of curd).

Addressing a Chetna sabha during his ‘Nishchaya yatra’ in Bihar’s east Champaran district, Kumar was seeking feedback from the people on his prohibition initiative that was implemented in April.

The chief minister had similarly stated there was a hike in milk sales -- 11% -- after the liquor ban, at a rally on Wednesday.

Kumar was addressing a rally on his second stop of the Nishchay yatra that began on Wednesday from Bettiah. The yatra is part of Kumar’s efforts to seek feedback on the prohibition as well as on the “seven resolves” he has been adopted as “policy of governance” for the next five years.

These resolves include civic amenities like drinking water, toilet, roads and electricity for every household.

Kumar read out figures to claim a substantial drop in crime rate in the past seven months, and was accompanied by chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh and state police chief PK Thakur.

Murder cases had also dropped by 36% between April 1 and October 31, as compared to the same period in 2015, he said.