Some liquor traders who till recently mocked chief minister Nitish Kumar's suggestion to run milk booths once partial prohibition sets in from April 1 are coming around.

"I have been told that 200 country liquor traders have applied for milk booths till Tuesday," Nitish told journalists on Wednesday. "One should see the social change happening in rural Bihar. There are 4 lakh self-help groups in the state. I have 40 lakh anti-liquor activists already. People will soon see anti-liquor posters in the villages."

Nawal Kishore Singh, the president of Bihar Liquor Retailers Association, said: "We have heard that some liquor retailers have applied for opening a Sudha outlet. But I am sure they will retract after knowing the terms and conditions for opening a milk outlet."

"Who is the chief minister to decide what alternative path retail liquor traders will take after April 1? Nitish wants to create an impression that he is offering jobs to the unemployed," he added.

The government has, however, taken the anti-liquor consumption drive to schools. Parents of children in about 72,000 primary and middle government schools have been asked to give a declaration to the institutions that they do not consume liquor. "The support of children and women will go a long way in implementing prohibition," Nitish said. "We do not need to issue advertisements for implementation of prohibition. It is spreading on its own."

There are 5,467 foreign liquor, country liquor and composite (foreign and country) shops across the state and these licensed and privately owned liquor shops will close from April 1. Foreign liquor shops will be limited only to urban areas and five tourist destinations, which are part of the Buddhist circuit in the state, and will be operated by Bihar State Beverages Corporation Limited. The Patna Dairy Project has written to the licensed shops, offering dealership of Sudha Milk and milk products.

Nitish justified the government's decision to take over sale of foreign liquor. "When I first came to power, total excise revenue had stagnated to Rs 300 crore a year," he said. "After holding talks with officials, I learnt that the liquor manufacturers were same as the wholesale retailers and shop owners. So I broke the chain by creating the beverage corporation to look after liquor wholesale. The revenue, with just one move, climbed up to over Rs 4,000 crore by 2015-16 fiscal. Now, controlling liquor outlets will give the government control over liquor flow - even if it is a difficult job."

"Ban on country made liquor in rural areas will make implementation of prohibition in urban areas easier. We are responsible for consumption of liquor. There will be a team of doctors who will be trained and given a protocol on who to give licence for foreign liquor consumption," Nitish said.

However, the chief minister is aware that total prohibition was going to be difficult in spite of a law about to be introduced in the current Assembly session. "The liquor mafia will employ all sorts of tactics to frustrate the government's steps. It (implanting prohibition) is not going to be a one-day affair."