Gujarat's Prohibition and Excise Department has revealed that over the past three years, there has been a surge of 58 percent in the number of individuals obtaining liquor permits on health grounds. According to data from the state's prohibition and excise department, as of November 2020, the count of liquor permit holders stood at 27,452, rising to 43,470 permit holders as of November 2023.
Gujarat, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, has upheld a ban on manufacturing, storage, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages since its inception. With an estimated population of around 6.7 crore, the state has witnessed a significant rise in the issuance of liquor permits, a trend that has persisted despite its historical prohibition stance.
A senior official from the prohibition department told PTI that in addition to individuals granted permits on health grounds, foreign nationals and visitors from other states are eligible for permits, albeit for a maximum duration of one week during their stay in Gujarat.
District-wise, Ahmedabad leads the list with 13,456 liquor permits, followed by Surat (9,238), Rajkot (4,502), Vadodara (2,743), Jamnagar (2,039), Gandhinagar (1,851), and Porbandar (1,700), according to the disclosed data. Furthermore, 77 hotels in Gujarat have obtained licenses to sell liquor to permit holders, as well as those arriving from other parts of the country or abroad.
The issuance of liquor permits follows a meticulous process wherein individuals must receive a certificate from the area medical board affirming that the consumption of liquor is essential for their health.
In a recent development aimed at fostering a "global business ecosystem" at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), the state government opted to lift the ban on liquor in the area, exempting it from the broader prohibition. The prohibition department clarified that under the new system, establishments in the GIFT City region, including hotels, restaurants, and clubs, will be granted permits for on-site consumption but will not be permitted to sell liquor bottles to patrons.
(Edited by : Jerome Anthony)
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