NFHS data shows despite ban on booze, Biharis are drinking more. Worse, they’re drinking illicit alcohol. Substance abuse is also up, driving up household spend. Even impact on spousal violence is negligible
As Bihar’s alcohol prohibition policy completed ten years in April 2026, recently released fact sheets from NFHS 2023-24 indicate limited success. The survey recorded a 1.1 percentage-point increase in share of men consuming alcohol, compared with previous NFHS round. This raises important questions about the effectiveness of what is Bihar’s most ambitious social policy.
Introduced in 2016, prohibition was viewed as Nitish Kumar keeping his electoral promise. The policy sought to cut back household spend on alcohol, and curb domestic violence, based on an assumption that prohibition would eliminate drinking altogether. However, alcohol consumption persists. Institute for Human Development’s research reveals a more nuanced and less-than-satisfactory picture, highlighting significant policy and implementation gaps.