Uttar Pradesh Excise Minister Jai Pratap Singh said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government will not impose a complete ban on liquor sale, PTI reported on Wednesday. The Chief Minister Adityanath government said a ban on the sale of alcohol would be impractical for the state and lead to illicit liquor sale.

“The revenue from excise is used in public welfare and developmental schemes of the state,” Singh said while replying to a query posed by Congress MLA Ajay Kumar Lallu in Assembly. “Banning liquor sale will indirectly promote illicit liquor sale and people will start purchasing from illegal sources which will adversely affect their health.”

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna criticised the Congress for discussing the possibility of a liquor ban. “We are not in favour of liquor, but it is not practically possible to ban its sale,” Khanna said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government to impose prohibition in states rules by the Bharatiya Janata Party.