COIMBATORE: Annual corruption to the tune of Rs 3,600 crore has been stopped in Tasmac, said Prohibition and Excise Minister K Vignesh, adding that the state government’s goal was to create a drug-free Tamil Nadu.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Vignesh said they are not people who talk like former DMK minister Senthil Balaji. “A major revolution is now under way in Tasmac. There has been large-scale corruption in liquor sales as well as procurement. The wrongdoings of the past in this department will be exposed one by one. A big syndicate was operating in Tasmac, and our Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has broken it. Whoever indulged in corruption will face strict action without bias,” he warned.
“For many years, around 88 lakh cases of liquor were procured annually from distilleries. A commission of Rs 90 per liquor case, Rs 40 per beer carton and Rs 20 for wine was going to individuals and people with political backgrounds, amounting to thousands of crores. That practice has now been stopped via a G.O. on June 5,” Vignesh added.
The minister said corruption would no longer exist in any department, not just Tasmac. “A huge scam in procurement worth Rs 100 crore a month was benefiting individuals who pocketed the money. That has now been brought into the government treasury,” he said.
Explaining the alleged scam in liquor sales, Vignesh, citing court orders, said the collection of a Rs 10 deposit per liquor bottle had been in place only for the past year. “But for four years before that, excess amounts were collected during sales. In 2021-22, one crore liquor bottles were sold on average per day. At Rs 10 per bottle, at least Rs 10 crore was collected extra per day. That is Rs 300 crore a month and Rs 3,600 crore a year. Employees were given a meagre amount, and their names were tarnished,” he claimed. On the long-standing practice of selling liquor above MRP, Vignesh questioned why the DMK had not acted to change it in the past five years.
“By the end of June, the practice of collecting money above MRP will be completely regulated and ended,” he said.
“Employees must avoid collecting an extra ₹10 per bottle beyond the deposit amount. If they continue, strict action will be taken,” Vignesh said. He clarified that the government had no intention of privatising Tasmac.