Now Reading: Bihar alcohol ban cut violence, health data shows
-
01
Bihar alcohol ban cut violence, health data shows
A report presented at the India Policy Forum 2026 recommended that Bihar lift its alcohol ban, arguing it has not reduced violence against women and has cost the state 14% of its revenue. However, an examination of the evidence shows these claims are flawed.
Quasi-experimental studies, including a 2024 Lancet Regional Health study, found the ban prevented more than 21 lakh cases of intimate partner violence. Another peer-reviewed study noted a significant drop in assaults on women. The ban also reduced non-communicable diseases among men, preventing 18 lakh cases of overweight or obesity.
The revenue loss argument ignores long-term economic gains from better health and safety. A 2019 study estimated alcohol costs India Rs 98 lakh crore annually in GDP losses, outweighing tax receipts. The current evidence does not support lifting the ban.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The debate pits immediate fiscal loss against long-term social gains. Bihar lost an estimated Rs 4,000-5,000 crore annually in excise revenue, but the health burden of alcohol in India is far larger. The key missing piece is a formal health-economic evaluation of the ban itself, which would quantify savings in healthcare costs, lost productivity, and policing. Watch whether the Bihar government commissions such a study before the next state budget, as that could settle the fiscal argument.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
