Now it is official, Gujarat gazettes lefting ban on alcohol in GIFT City

Ahmedabad: Employees working in units in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) may be eligible for a permit to access liquor, which can only be obtained from the designated wine-and-dine area within the facility, for two years, a gazette notification stated.

As per the notification issued by the state home department on Saturday, a person visiting GIFT City may also obtain a temporary permit, which can be issued only for a day, and an employee holding a liquor access permit needs to accompany him in the designated wine-and-dine area.

Visitors can avail fresh temporary permits as and when required, it stated.

The government had last week announced lifting the ban on liquor in GIFT City to provide a "global business ecosystem" there. Under the new system, existing and upcoming hotels, restaurants, and clubs in the GIFT City area will be given permits for wine-and-dine facilities.

"The recommending officer shall prepare a list of employee(s) desiring to obtain liquor access permit and shall send the same to the authorised officer. The authorised officer shall issue liquor access permit cards based on the approved list of employees and send the same to the recommending officer," the notification said.

The permit holder must have attained the age of 21 years, and the permit shall be issued for two years and can be renewed for two years at a time, it said.

The permit will cost Rs 1,000 per annum and if a person ceases to be an employee of the company/organisation/unit at GIFT City, the permit will stand cancelled, it stated.

A unit situated in GIFT City desiring to obtain a liquor licence will have to apply to the Superintendent of Prohibition and Excise, Gandhinagar, and the licence will be issued after due verification and decision of the GIFT facilitation committee, which is the final authority regarding interpretation of this order, it said.

After approval by the Committee, the Superintendent of Prohibition and Excise will issue the licence, and the unit will serve liquor for consumption "in the approved wine and dine facility area only," the notification stated.

The licence can be issued initially for a period of one to five years, and subsequently renewed up to five years at a time, it said.

The licence will cost Rs 1 lakh per annum and the security deposit will be Rs 2 lakh, it said.

"The licensee can purchase liquor from any licence in the state or from outside the state as per Gujarat Foreign Liquor (Import and Export) Rules, 1965 and Bombay Foreign Liquor Rules, 1953," the order stated, adding that the permit holder has to comply with the provisions of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949.

Gujarat has a law in force that proscribes the manufacture, storage, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. The law invites seven to 10 years jail term to a person found dealing in alcohol and the death penalty if the victim dies.