PATNA: The state assembly on Monday passed the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2018 amid a walkout by RJD, Congress and CPI (ML). The amendments to the 2016 Act are aimed at relaxing the “draconian” provisions in order to prevent its misuse and make the quantum of punishment proportionate to the nature of offence.Earlier, the prohibition law provided for a five-year prison term, in addition to a Rs 1 lakh fine, for those consuming liquor or caught in an inebriated state.Now, first time offenders will have to pay a fine of Rs 50,000, failing which, they will have to undergo a prison term of three months. Besides, the offence has also been made bailable. Repeat offenders will be punished with a prison term of not less than a year and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh.However, those causing disturbance or violence in an inebriated state or facilitating consumption of liquor on their premises will continue to attract a prison term not lower than five years and a penalty of not less than Rs 1 lakh.Those guilty of manufacture, storage and illegal trade in liquor earlier attracted a maximum life-term imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh.As per the amended law, the first offence of this nature will be punishable with a prison sentence of at least five years and a fine of not less than Rs 1 lakh, while subsequent offences will be punishable by at least 10 years in jail and up to Rs 5 lakh fine.The amendment also removed the provision to impose collective fines and externing habitual offenders. It also removed a provision for booking all adult members of a household if liquor is found in the house.CM Nitish Kumar said interested groups launched “motivated” campaign against prohibition, invoking the number of people imprisoned and the loss of revenue to the state.The revenue loss was Rs5,000 crore during 2015-16 and Rs1,000 crore in the next fiscal, but people saved around Rs10,000 crore annually with which they purchased other items that brought back tax returns to the government, Nitish clarified.RJD, Congress and CPI (ML) members had earlier walked out of the House in protest against the rejection of their demand for a discussion on the drought situation that has been building up in the state due to scanty rainfall this year.