Bhopal, Jan 13 Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Monday that his government is considering to ban meat and liquor consumption around religious sites in the state.
He stated that the state government is planning to bring an amendment to liquor policy for the current financial year and make a provision for a ban on the sale of liquor and meat near all sacred places.
"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 sites in the state," CM Yadav said in a statement.
The Chief Minister informed that several seers and other religious priests have also suggested a ban on liquor and meat consumption in all religious sites in the state and the state government has taken the issue seriously.
CM Yadav said that all liquor shops functioning near religious sites will be shifted.
The state government is likely to begin this process from the holy city of Ujjain, in view of the Simhastha Kumbh 2028.
"We are determined to make the religious cities free of liquor and meat and a decision in this regard will be announced soon. The excise department has been preparing a draft report for the same," CM Yadav said.
Notably, the decision to ban consumption of liquor and meat was announced in August 2024 and the proposal was approved by the state cabinet in September last year.
There are 21 districts, 68 tehsils, 1138 villages and 1126 ghats as well as 430 ancient Shiva temples and two 'shakti peeths' along the banks of the Kshipra River where the sale of liquor and meat is likely to be banned.
However, the exact location and the number of sites will be known after the excise department prepares its report.
Earlier, Chief Minister Yadav had also stated that making cities free of liquor and meat is a long process, which will be implemented in multiple steps.
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