Liquor in GIFT City: Industry leaders hail Gujarat govt's move as progressive, bold
Gujarat government's decision to allow liquor in GIFT City and called it a progressive and bold step that will attract major companies and quality workforce to the area. The state government on Friday lifted the ban on liquor in the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City with the aim of providing it with a «global ecosystem.»
Jaxay Shah, CMD of Savvy Group, an Ahmedabad-based firm with a construction area of 4 million square feet in GIFT City, said, «It is a historical, progressive and bold step. GIFT City was competing in terms of infrastructure and was at par or even ahead of many international financial cities in the world.
But now, with this move improving social life, it will attract local youths to the MNCs here.»
Tejinder Oberoi, former chairman of GESIA, an association of the ICT industry in Gujarat, said the move will remove the excuse that certain IT companies gave for not investing in Gujarat.
«As a technology player, we understand a lot of companies were resisting to come to Gujarat primarily citing prohibition as a reason. Their excuse for not coming to Gujarat ceases to exist.
That way it is a major step,» Oberoi said.
Director General of Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) Vinod Giri said the true significance of this step lies in the acknowledgment that alcohol is an essential part of relaxation and social bonding.
It sends a strong signal to the world that GIFT City is a modern, liberal place, which is ready to do business like other major global centres, he said.
