Guj govt orders restoration of old schedule of liquor shops

Gujarat government has directed the Prohibition and Excise Department to restore the earlier 1200-2000 hrs schedule of permitted liquor shops in the state, a senior official said.
"The Director of Prohibition and Excise Department has been asked to restore the old trading time of the permitted liquor shops across the state," Sudeep Kumar Nanda, Additional Chief Secretary to the state Home Department told PTI today.
"The old trading time of 1200-2000 hrs has been restored again keeping in mind various factors and the larger interest of tourists, hotel owners and others," Nanda said over phone.
As per the revised schedule, which had come into force from November 6, the permitted liquor shops across the state had to operate between 1030 hrs and 1810 hrs.

However, hoteliers, liquor shop owners and industries associations had opposed the move and demanded that the old schedule be continued to avoid problems for many, particularly tourists visiting the state.
A circular about the 1030-1810 hrs schedule was issued on October 30 by the state Prohibition and Excise Department.

The circular had stated that the government decided to make changes in the existing trading time of these shops after an oral representation by some women employees of Prohibition Department, posted in these shops as part of their duties.
The circular had stated that out of the total number of employees in the Prohibition Department, 33 per cent are women who find it difficult to work in these shops between 1200 hrs and 2000 hrs.

However, expressing surprise over the move, Nanda said the schedule cannot be changed just for the convenience of recently-recruited women employees.
Leader of the Opposition in Gujarat assembly, Shankersinh Vaghela had also opposed the move.