bhopal

Updated: Jan 17, 2017 16:35 IST

The Madhya Pradesh government has said liquor shops in the state will have to keep a list of regular customers and police stations will have names of criminals, who regularly commit excise-related crimes, in a bid to discourage alcohol consumption.

The new excise policy for the year 2017-18 was approved by the state cabinet at a meeting chaired by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday.

The cabinet also approved a proposal from the excise department to shut down all the English/country liquor shops located within the radius of 5 kms from the banks of Narmada river. There are 58 such liquor shops in 12 districts.

The chief minister is presently leading a Narmada Seva Yatra aimed at protecting and preserving the river. He had made an announcement to the effect during the yatra.

The official spokesperson of the state government Narottam Mishra said no new liquor shop would be opened in the state in continuation of the government’s policy for the past several years.

Seminars and other programmes will be held to create awareness among people in a bid to control liquor consumption. Besides, awareness will be created through school and colleges curriculum about diseases arising from drugs consumption.

A warning that liquor is harmful to health will be mentioned prominently on the boards of liquor shops and bottles.

Other measures to be taken to discourage drinking will include yoga and meditation therapy centres, information about diseases that occur due to liquor consumption and utilisation of social media resources.

“Moreover, ultra-modern features will be added in the hologram for the year 2017-18. A provision of SMS alert has been made to prevent duplicity. Also, arrangement to verify the legal source of liquor has been made in the policy,” Mishra said.

As per another provision in the policy, driving license of a person who is found in an inebriated state will be suspended for six months for the first time and two years on the second time. On the third instance of drunk driving, the license will be cancelled by the transport department.

“A state amendment proposal will be sent to the home department for reforms in IPC (Indian Penal Code) section 184 to be used as a defence against drunkenness,” Mishra added.