CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) has increased the price of Imported Foreign Liquor (IFL) from a minimum of Rs 10 to a maximum of Rs 320 per bottle from Wednesday. Explaining the reason for the hike, the state-owned liquor vendor said the special fee imposed by the commissioner of excise on IFL being brought into Tamil Nadu from other states has been hiked recently from Rs 417 to Rs 630 per litre.
The price of Indian-made liquor, however, remains unchanged. To ensure customers are not overcharged, Tasmac MD S Visakan also strictly instructed officials to take action against employees who collect over and above the MRP from customers.
In an official communication sent to district managers and zonal officers across the state, the MD said, “Action should be initiated against those employees who collect Rs 10 or more per bottle from consumers. The staff concerned must be suspended temporarily.”
To ensure that liquor bottles are sold strictly at the maximum retail price, Tasmac officials have now been directed to ensure that such additional costs do not fall on the retail staff and to address their complaint about being burdened with additional expenses such as rent and electricity charges. Employees have also been told not to give bribes to police officers, politicians, and others.
In the financial year 2022-23, the state government earned a revenue of Rs 44.79 crore through the special fee on IFL, and Tasmac got Rs 12.23 lakh as a service charge. An official told TNIE that IFL beverages are being sold at elite shops, malls, and big commercial complexes.
To monitor the situation, district managers have been asked to collate data on the availability of IFL brands in these shops.IFL brands are also sold at recreation clubs, star hotels, and non-star hotels. Tasmac, the main supplier of IFL to these outlets, gets a 3% service charge on a special fee, the official said.
Why can’t you share info, HC asks Tasmac
The Madras HC has asked Tasmac to explain how the corporation is exempted from disclosing information such as revenue, expenditure, list of manufacturers, procurement details, and cost of liquor to a petitioner. Ruling on an appeal filed by the Tasmac against a single judge order asking it to furnish the information to the petitioner, advocate Loganathan of Coimbatore, the first bench headed by the CJ ordered Tasmac to give its reply to the court within two weeks