Gandhinagar: The Government of Gujarat had relaxed the prohibition act and allowed the consumption of liquor in GIFT City in December. The move aimed at creating a conducive working atmosphere in this global finance tech hub has not been a major success, as only 600 liters of alcohol have been sold within GIFT City limits in the past four months.

Of the total, 450 liters were beer. Since March 1, only 500 employees have applied for and received liquor consumption permits, despite the hub employing over 24,000 people, according to the data. Meanwhile, only 250 visitor permits have been issued since March 1.

The prohibition department started compiling data on liquor sales and consumption from March 1, the day the relaxation came into effect.

It is learned that this lackluster response is mainly due to two reasons. Firstly, liquor sold within GIFT City is priced three times higher than in permit shops across the state. Secondly, one guideline requires the host (a GIFT City employee) to be present with the visitor at all times, which might not be practical for the people working in GIFT. DeshGujarat