Tamil Nadu’s Ministry for Prohibition and Excise is a profound paradox. It’s no less brazen than demanding light and darkness simultaneously from the sun. The minister has the unenviable task of raising revenues to fund the government’s social welfare schemes, bloating expenditure by the year, and synchronously singing the ‘prohibition’ song to avoid the public backlash.
Minister S Muthusamy knows how tough his job is but can’t avert the conflict invariably whipping up comedy. His new definition of ‘drunkard’ – one who consumes alcohol regularly in the evenings for pleasure – stems from this perpetual paradox. According to him, people who consume alcohol in the morning are mostly those who are involved in physical labour and therefore should not be called ‘drunkards’.
This statement came a day after he suggested that Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) liquor outlets could be opened in the morning for the benefit of workers. He dismissed the criticism the next day, saying that it was just a suggestion that some people, especially workers, go in search of illegal liquor during the morning hours when Tasmac outlets are closed. Now, the corporation has been told to identify new patrons who turn up at liquor shops and counsel them about the ill effects of alcoholism. That is another comedy.
TN is among the few states in India where liquor businesses, both wholesale and retail, are run by the state government. Tasmac enjoys an absolute monopoly. One would like to believe that there is some semblance of accountability when the ‘dirty’ business is handled by the government itself. But the reality could be a little unnerving: There is no guarantee of product quality or pricing.
You may end up paying much more than the MRP because there is no system for issuing purchase bills. A recent official communication from managing director S Visakan sent to district managers and zonal officers reveals a not-so-rosy picture. Consumers paying more than the MRP; additional expenses such as rent and electricity charges shouldered by the staff; bribes to police officers, politicians, and others... Let’s believe that the claim by the Tasmac Employees Union that a few men collect money from Tasmac outlets in the name of the minister is just political humbug.
What is more shocking is the way the government and Tasmac keep the quantum of liquor procured from various private breweries and distilleries and the prices at which these spirits are being supplied to the corporation a state secret. Why? Do politicians own and operate breweries and distilleries in the state? Many believe so. For too long, Tasmac has been a pot leaking from all sides, leaving the state exchequer in peril. Efforts to plug the leaks seem to have been abandoned midway. So, liquor continues to flow into the state from tax-free Pondicherry and other nearby states through porous borders. The nasty underbelly of TN’s liquor business is waiting to be exposed.
When Tasmac shut down 500 outlets a month ago, some rubbed their eyes in disbelief. Was it an honest attempt to curtail supply? Were these outlets facing objections from society or located near places of worship and educational institutions? The prime reason was something else: poor sales and financial unviability. Why is toddy (derived from the palmyrah or coconut tree) not made legal in the state? Is it because of the fear of spreading alcoholism or the worry that it may cause a sharp drop in tax revenues?
The alcoholic content of toddy is far less than the alcohol manufactured using molasses. It is time for the government to lift the ban on toddy tapping and help thousands of tappers in the state. Enough of fooling people with ‘prohibition’, Tamil Nadu deserves a better liquor policy.
Anto T Joseph
Resident Editor, Tamil Nadu
anto@newindianexpress.com
@AntoJoseph