Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace, Gujarat state, has seen a 58 percent surge in liquor permits on health grounds in only three years, according to data from the state’s prohibition and tax department.
With 13,456 licenses, Ahmedabad district topped the list of districts with the most liquor permits. Surat, with 9,238 liquor permits, came in second on the list. 4,502 licenses were held by Rajkot, which came after Surat. With 2,743 licenses, Vadodara did not lag far behind the rest of the league. There were 2,039 permits registered in Jamnagar, 1,851 in Gandhinagar, and 1,700 in Porbandar.
How much has the number of people with liquor permits increased?
The number of Gujarati citizens with liquor permits was 27,452 in November 2020, but according to records, that number has increased to 43,470 in 2023. According to a different source, some 77 hotels in Gujarat have licenses to serve alcohol to permit holders and tourists from other states or countries.
According to an official from the prohibition department, visitors from other states and foreign nationals are granted permission for a maximum of one week in Gujarat, excluding those who have been granted permits due to health concerns.
How are licenses for alcohol issued?
Individuals are issued liquor permits by the health department if a certificate is issued by the local medical board. This certificate has stated that the applicant’s health requires alcohol usage.
Last Monday, the Gujarati government removed the local restriction on alcohol and exempted it from it to create a “global business ecosystem” in honor of “the Gujarat International Finance Technology City (GIFT City).” The Prohibition Department claimed that under the new system, permits for wine and eating facilities will be granted to hotels, restaurants, and clubs (both current and future) in the GIFT City region. But these businesses won’t be allowed to offer consumers alcohol in bottles. An estimated 6.7 crore people are living in Gujarat, and since the state’s founding, alcohol production, distribution, and use have all been outlawed.
