CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) on Wednesday said 500 of its retail liquor outlets will be shut across Tamil Nadu starting Thursday as per a government order issued earlier. The corporation had 5,329 liquor outlets in TN as on March 31, 2023.
Tasmac managing director S Visakan in his order said, “The selection of 500 outlets was based on various factors, including low revenue generation, clustering of shops, proximity to residential areas, religious places, and educational institutions, and objection by residents, court cases demanding closure of shops, and shops objected by building owners.”
While 138 shops will be shut in Chennai zone, highest in the state, 78 shops in Coimbatore, 125 in Madurai, 59 in Salem, and 100 outlets in Tiruchy will also be closed. The corporation will issue a separate order for redeploying staff working in these outlets to other shops. After closure, remaining liquor stock will be transferred to godowns. A monitoring officer in the rank of assistant manager or depot manager will be appointed to oversee the task.
‘96 Tasmacs shut in 2 years by DMK govt’
All other materials such as furniture, cash box, shop records, billing machines, bottle coolers, and point of sale (PoS) machines, along with other fixed assets, must be handed over to the respective district managers, the MD said.
A senior official told TNIE, “When Tasmac took over the retail outlets in 2003, there were 7,896 shops in the state. Responding to public objections, both the AIADMK and DMK governments initiated measures to reduce the number of shops.”
The previous AIADMK government closed 1,168 shops over the past 10 years, while the Stalin- led DMK government has closed 96 outlets in two years. After the closure of 500 outlets, the total will come down to 4,829, the official said.
Reacting to the announcement, PMK president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss urged the state government to provide a clear timetable for closing all Tasmac outlets and implementing total prohibition in the state.