Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that Mahua will now be sold as heritage liquor in Madhya Pradesh.
The Madhya Pradesh government has announced legalising liquor made out of Mahua. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the government will soon bring a new excise policy that will make Mahua legal.
The liquor will be sold as ‘heritage liquor’, he said.
“The government is devising an excise policy under which if anyone makes liquor from Mahua in a traditional way, it will not be illegal anymore. It will be sold in the liquor shops with the name of ‘heritage liquor’ which would be a source of employment and income for the tribal people who have been making and consuming it,” the CM said while speaking at Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas in Mandla on Monday. “The right to sell this heritage liquor will also be given to tribals,” he said
Chouhan said that the tribes in the country and Madhya Pradesh have a glorious past and tribal heroes played a very important role in the freedom struggle.
“The British made all efforts to end the pride of our tribes. We are going to restore it,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that the BJP government will also give them the right to manage community forests.
“You can plant a forest. You will have the right over its wood and fruits. Under the Mukhyamantri Awasiya Bhu-Adhikar Yojna, residential land rights will be provided for the purpose,” Chouhan said.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress has slammed the BJP government. Party’s spokesperson KK Mishra said that it is unfortunate that the government is legalising the ‘kacchi sharab’.
“The decision is unfortunate. More than 50 people have lost their lives after consuming spurious liquor. Despite this, the government is bringing such a policy,” he said.
