Manipur no more a 'dry state' as cabinet legalises liquor

Amid an unceasing ethnic conflict and a campaign against drug and alcohol abuse that is allegedly caused by the conflict, the Manipur cabinet on Monday lifted complete ban on liquor. The move comes after it decided to partially lift prohibition over a year ago to boost the economy and check health hazards caused by spurious alcohol, TOI reported.

Manipur has been a dry state since 1991 after it enacted the "Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act".

The state cabinet approved manufacture, production, possession, export, import, transport, purchase, sale and consumption of liquor. The meeting was headed by chief minister N Biren Singh.


As per the TOI report, a gazette notification incorporating detailed rules and regulation for the liquor legalization would be published on Wednesday.

According to an official cited in the report, the state government is expecting an annual revenue of around Rs 600-700 crore post liquor legalization.

A dry state since 1991

An exemption to brew liquor by scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST) communities under their traditional system and customary laws is provided under the Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act, 1991. Sekmai and Phayeng in Imphal West district and Andro in Imphal East are the popular brewing areas, among others.

However, the state cabinet, on September 20, 2022, had partially lifted the prohibition. This lift allowed sale and consumption of liquor at the district headquarters, hotels having not less than 20 beds, and the locally brewed country liquor would be exported outside the state.

The decision was taken after the government discussed the fact that consumption of spurious liquor has been posing a serious threat to public health and life in addition and also impacting the state's economy.

(With TOI inputs)