In Gandhinagar’s Gift City, employees’ enthusiasm for alcohol appears surprisingly low despite government efforts to ease restrictions. The Gujarat government announced liquor exemptions for Gift City on December 23, 2023, which took effect on March 1, 2024. However, the response has been underwhelming.
Since the implementation, the Excise Department’s records show that only 500 employees, out of the 24,000 employees working in Gift City, applied for liquor permits between March and June. Additionally, only 250 visitor permits have been issued.
One factor contributing to this low uptake could be the high cost of liquor within Gift City limits, priced three times higher than in-state permit shops. This significant price difference may deter employees from taking advantage of the concessions.
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