Mumbai, June 1 (IANS) In an attempt to discourage youngsters from consuming alcohol,  the Maharashtra government Wednesday raised the minimum age for drinking beer from 18 to 21 years and for hard liquor from 21 to 25 years.

 
 Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan denied that this decision, taken by the cabinet here this afternoon, was an attempt at moral policing.
 
 Chavan admitted that it may be difficult to completely curb alcohol abuse among youngsters but he said the government would continue its attempts to discourage them from doing so.