Gujarat govt mulling revision of prohibition on alcohol to boost business at Surat Diamond Bourse: Report

Gujarat is known to be a dry state as alcohol sale and prohibition was banned here. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state is about to witness norms for sale-cum-consumption of alcohol at the Surat Diamond Bourse— which is said to be the world's biggest office complex, larger than the Pentagon in US.

After having developed the GIFT City in Gujarat's Gandhinagar, the state government here is apparently mulling to dilute prohibition laws for DREAM (Diamond Research and Mercantile) City, reported Times of India. According to a top government official, this step is aimed at attracting business ultimately promoting Surat Diamond Bourse as a global diamond trading hub.

"The home department and other agencies will chalk out guidelines governing the consumption and sale of liquor once the proposal is cleared," the source said and added, If everything goes to plan, the announcement could be made within two months."

The bourse was inaugurated last December, and is yet to open as functional space. It houses around 4,500 offices, and is part of the 2,000-acre DREAM City which aims to encourage diamond trading. The sources are also said to have told the publication that the proposed ease in prohibition would align with liquor-law in GIFT City.

The office bearers of the Surat Diamond Bourse are said to have apprised the Gujarat government of the potential perks in easing prohibition over liquor. "This will be an important step to attract business here. Relaxing prohibition in DREAM City will create an international business environment," said diamond businessman Dinesh Navadiya said.

The Bourse in Gujarat covers a constructed area of 6.7 million square feet (620,000 square meters). It has been constructed at a cost of Rs 3200 crore rupees ($384 million). Pentagon in the US opened in 1943, and has an area of 6.5 million square feet.