MP govt mulling to ban liquor in religious cities: CM Yadav

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday announced that the state government is planning to ban the sale and consumption of liquor near religious sites.

He said there are complaints about the environment in religious cities getting affected because of liquor sales and consumption.

“The government is contemplating a ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in religious cities to ensure that the sanctity of these places remains intact”, CM Yadav said.

The CM revealed that the government is preparing an amendment to the excise policy and making a provision to ban the sale of liquor in all sacred cities of the state.

“The process for budget preparation for the current financial year is also almost in the last phase. We will ensure that a provision is made on the consumption of liquor in the religious cities in the state”, CM Yadav said.

“The state government is serious about the suggestions given by saints in this regard, and will soon decide and take concrete steps in this direction.

The announcement came ahead of the Simhastha scheduled in 2028 in the holy city of Ujjain.

“We are determined to make the religious cities free of liquor and a decision in this regard will be announced soon. The excise department has been preparing a draft report for the same,” CM Yadav added.

Further, CM Yadav emphasised that making the cities free from liquor is complex, and the process will be implemented in phases. However, specific locations and the number of affected sites will be confirmed after the Excise department finalises its report.