Lucknow, March 12 (IANS): In a surprise development, as many as 370 out of 1,046 liquor shops in Lucknow have been allotted to women entrepreneurs in the new fiscal year.

From April 1, the women shop owners will take over the reins of more than one-third of the business which has been predominantly dominated by men in the past.

Officials said that overall participation of women has increased by 7 per cent compared to the previous year in Lucknow and more shops have been taken over by women this time.

Though no special incentives or relaxations are offered to the women, the upwards trend shows that women are no more hesitant to participate in the alcohol trade.

Rakesh Singh, District Excise Officer of Lucknow, said: “Nearly 35 per cent of the total licenses issued for the next financial year have been obtained by women entrepreneurs. As numbers of female applicants have been going up over the past three years, their participation is also increasing in the same proportion.”

The maximum interest among the women has been for IMFL liquor shops through which trade of whisky, vodka, rum, gin and wine takes place, followed by beer shops.

A woman entrepreneur who has taken a licensed beer shop, said: “It is not difficult to manage the retail stores as technology tools are available for close monitoring. CCTV cameras with sound systems would be installed at the shop and I would oversee the business. Also, the liquor business has become robust and transparent over the past five years.”

Meanwhile, only five country-made liquor shops and two model shops out of the total 1,046 ones in Lucknow are left to be taken while the remaining 1,039 have been allocated.

Singh said that the remaining ones are also going to be put up for auction soon.