The Gujarat government further relaxed the prohibition law for Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (Gift City), allowing drinking anywhere in the hotels and restaurant premises including inside the rooms, allowing visitors without liquor permits in the wine and dine area and raising the bar on drinking permits for employee guests from five to 25. The new amendments also delegate the authority to issue group permits from prohibition and excise to GIFT City authority.
In a major move ahead of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in December 2023, the Gujarat government had allowed Foreign Liquor -3 (FL-3) licences that allows serving of liquor in hotels, restaurants and clubs in GIFT City through a special ‘wine and dine’ policy. Aimed at attracting global business and talent, the Gujarat government, making an exception to Gujarat’s prohibition laws, allowed consumption of alcohol within designated and licensed establishments under a permit system.
The latest notification issued on December 20 has brought in relaxations in the major three areas. From the existing availability of liquor to employees of GIFT City and their guests restricted to only the ‘Wine and Dine’ area (which was so far majorly the bar area) it can be served to any area where the hotel or restaurant is offering food and beverages services.
Further, now, the employees and their visitors can also order liquor and consume it in the hotel room.
“The relaxations area a part of the liquor policy to enhance GIFT City’s competitiveness as a global financial centre, while ensuring that all provisions are implemented in a controlled and responsible manner, in line with its mandate as a project of national importance. If the premises is already licensed then they can serve liquor to all the areas marked for serving food and beverages and not restrircted to the bar area which was earmarked as the ‘Wine and Dine’ area. This also includes the hotel room,” Sanjay Kaul, Managing Director and Group CEO of GIFT City told The Indian Express.
The notification states, “The Licensee shall serve liquor for consumption in the approved Wine and Dine facility area as well as any area of Hotel/Restaurant Premises (Restaurant, Lawn Area, Pool Side, Terrace, F & B etc.)”.
This applies even to the ‘External Person’ or the guests who are allowed to consume liquor in Wine and Dine facility area as well as any area of hotel or restaurant premises-Restaurant, Lawn Area, Pool Side, Terrace, F & B etc. by showing his/her valid photo ID card, states the new liquor norms for GIFT City.
The “External Person” defined in the notification means ‘A person who is not from the State of Gujarat, who holds a photo ID card of another state, or who is a foreign national’.
Also, ‘any person coming for food and dining purpose shall be allowed in Wine and Dine area of the restaurant’. The existing norms would prohibit visitors from entering the ‘Wine and Dine’ area of the restaurants, clubs or hotels in GIFT City.
The other relaxation has come in the number of guests a GIFT City employee can take to the Wine and Dine area. This has been relaxed from five to 25.
“The notification is a pragmatic step to support GIFT City’s role as an international financial and business district. It addresses the operational needs of global institutions and professionals working within a clearly defined and regulated framework. Initially, the GIFT City employee was allowed only five guests but this has been increased to 25 keeping in mind group meetings and conferences,” Kaul told this paper.
Further, major amendment has been brought in in the authorised officer for issuing permit for the group booking permit. Earlier the designated official of the Prohibition and Excise department was the group permit authority. This has been delegated to GIFT City. “Such Group Permit shall be issued by the Authorized Officer in the GIFT City”, the notification defines.
The group would mean more than 25 persons, Kaul added.
On November 24, in response to a question by The Indian Express Kaul had said that the response to the ‘wine and dine’ policy is good. However, he also added that “Prohibition laws or liquor is an excuse for people who do not want to set up office in the state and those who want to criticise whatever the government does”.
“Response is very good. Hotels are doing well. If you are not getting (liquor) outside and it is available here, which is a big thing. But liquor should not be an issue. You talk to anyone. It is just one factor, some people do not want to open an office here and they make an excuse. When you talk to them, those who are serious come here. What do they need, tax savings and low office costs. Liquor is an excuse for people who do not want to set up office here and those who want to criticise whatever the government does. That is how I see it,” Kaul said.