The state is more focused on stopping the illegal trade of liquor in and out of state. They also want to stop the illegal manufacture of liquor and low-grade liquor.
West Bengal government has decided to provide 1,000 new liquor license, which will be the highest in 13 years. A senior official from the government said a lottery system may be resorted to for issuing licenses.
According to a report by The Times of India, this new development comes as a big shock considering the fact that last year the central government had passed a law disallowing liquor stores or bars to be situated anywhere about 1,500 meters radius of highways. The move was focused on reducing cases of drunk driving and make highways accident free and family friendly, free from anti-social activities.
This new move in Bengal might leave the whole state in disarray. Yet, the government promises to look into the position of the store and take into account various background checks to identify the proper people to be allowed licenses. A senior official said despite needing approximately 2,000 new licenses according to the preliminary research, the state won't issue more than 1,000-1,100 licenses.
The state is also looking to maintain proper police vigilance and prevent any illegal activities from taking place. Although the procurement process of the license will be through the lottery system, any manhandling of the license will lead to it being suspended.