Gujarat eases dry law on Gandhi Nirvaan Din

Will allow liquor consumption in SEZs and during business meets.

The Gujarat government has decided to relax the Prohibition Act in a bid to facilitate more investments in the state. According to sources, the government has decided to allow liquor in special economic zones and during national and international business conferences in the state.

The decision is coming just before the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors' Summit 2007.

Curiously, the decision was taken on the day of Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary"" Gandhi Nirvaan Din"" on December 30.

According to government sources, the state has decided to relax the prohibition law in order to facilitate more investments and to promote the much hyped SEZs in the state.

According to the sources, the government decision will now allow consumption of liquor within the premises of SEZs and an employee of SEZs can obtain a liquor licence by paying Rs 500.

Yielding to the long-pending demands of the business and industrial lobbies such as CII and FICCI, the government has also decided to allow serving of liquor at national and international-level business summits and conferences in the state.

However, sources added that only those from other states or from abroad would be allowed to consume liquor. Conference organisers would be required to pay up Rs 5000 per head to obtain a temporary liquor permit, according to sources.

Amit Shah, the state's minister of home, confirmed the decision to allow alcohol in SEZs. "The government has decided to allow alcohol consumption in special economic zones. The employees of SEZs will be given permits at nominal charges to take liquor on the premises of SEZs." However, he refused to reveal any more details.

It may be mentioned here that Gujarat has 23 functioning and proposed SEZs in the state and many more MoUs are likely to be signed during the next Vibrant Gujarat event.

The industrial and business bodies in the state warned the government of losing many investment opportunities as industrialists and businessmen were not willing to come to the state for attending business summits and conferences in view of the prohibition.

The decision is likely to help the SEZs to attract skilled manpower from other states.