Guwahati, Jan. 1: Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi today opposed the Sarbananda Sonowal government's decision to reduce number of dry days and advancing the opening time of bars and liquor shops in the state.

Gogoi said such a decision will have a negative impact on the younger generation and a welfare state cannot take certain decisions by just keeping revenue augmentation in mind.

The Sonowal cabinet last week amended the state's excise rules, allowing liquor shops and bars to operate from 11.30am instead of 2pm in its bid to augment revenue.

The government argued that early opening of liquor shops in neighbouring Meghalaya has resulted in loss of revenue for Assam.

Barring Sundays and other notified dry days, liquor shops in Meghalaya open at 10am.

The erstwhile Tarun Gogoi government changed the opening time of liquor shops from 10am to 2pm during the last part of 2015 following reports that a good chunk of youths and students drink during daytime keeping their parents and guardians in the dark .

The Gogoi government had also declared the first and last days of a month as dry days.

Gogoi told reporters here this afternoon that it seems that the BJP government in the state does not mind in case there is a rise in the number of drinkers as it will help in earning more revenue. He said the government could have explored other ways to increase revenue.

The BJP government has also decided to reduce the number of dry days and the bars and liquor shops will remain open on the first and last days of a month. Instead, the government has decided to keep those shut during festivals of different communities.

Gogoi alleged that the state government does not have any clear-cut policy on important issues and people are passing through an uncertain phase.