Mizoram to permit locally brewed beer & wine, retains ban on hard liquor

Aizawl, March 5: The Mizoram government has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining prohibition on hard liquor while allowing the regulated manufacture and sale of locally brewed beer and wine.

Chief Minister Lalduhoma reiterated this stance on Monday, stating that full-fledged liquor shops would not be permitted despite demands for lifting the dry law.

Speaking to the media after presenting the state’s annual budget, Lalduhoma stressed that churches had been consulted on the matter and had given their approval.

"There are people pressing the government to repeal the prohibition law and allow the opening of liquor shops, but we are not going to do that," he said.

He also noted that beer and wine are not universally classified as alcoholic beverages.

The move comes as Excise and Narcotics Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar is set to introduce the Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2025, in the state legislative assembly on Wednesday.

The proposed amendment is expected to allow the manufacture, sale, and supply of local beer made from agricultural and horticultural produce, including rice, ginger, banana, dragon fruit, pineapple, gooseberry, guava, starfruit, sugarcane, jackfruit, watermelon, and honeydew melon.

However, the import, sale, and consumption of beer and wine produced outside Mizoram will remain banned. The amendment is also expected to introduce stricter penalties for violations of the existing prohibition law.

Additionally, the government will grant special permits allowing individuals to buy and consume alcohol for health reasons. Dignitaries and tourists visiting Mizoram will also be able to obtain prior permits to purchase liquor.

The decision represents a measured relaxation of the dry law while ensuring strict regulations on alcohol consumption in the state. The government sees this as a way to support local farmers and boost the agricultural economy without fully opening the state to liquor sales.