Ex-servicemen in Gujarat will no longer need a health permit to access their liquor quota, a relief granted after years of appeals to the Ministry of Defence. Their widows will also now be entitled to 50% of the quota, bringing Gujarat in line with other states.
Earlier, retired soldiers in Gujarat had to undergo medical checks and buy liquor with added taxes, while widows were denied any quota. In 2022, a few districts received partial relaxation, but the rule has now been extended statewide.
“This has been a long-pending demand. With this change, ex-servicemen will get liquor quota directly without hurdles, and widows will also benefit,” said Jitendra Nimavat, president of the Ex-Servicemen Service Foundation.
Former Ahmedabad Cantonment Board member Sumer Singh Rajput added that inconsistencies with other states have finally been resolved, and many ex-servicemen have already begun applying for the new quota.