Chennai: Despite the Covid breakout and the pandemic-induced lockdown, the sale of liquor through the state government-owned Tamilnadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) has crossed the Rs 36,000 mark in 2021-22.
Moving the demand for grants for his department in the State Legislative Assembly, Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise V Senthilbalaji said the sales, which stood at Rs 33,133.24 crore in 2019-20, has marginally increased to Rs 33,811.14 crore in 2020-21 and it went up more than Rs 2,500 crore to Rs 36,013.14 crore in 2021-22.
The increase in revenue was also due to the recent price hike effected by the State government.
Percentage wise the sales margin might be slightly higher when compared to previous years, as the sale of liquor through 5,380 Liquor Retail Vending Shops and 3,240 bars attached to these Retail Shops, was one of the major revenue earners for the State government for funding its various welfare schemes.
Senthilbalaji said the sale for the current fiscal 2021-22 is Rs 36,013.14 crore. After the upward revision in prices, on an average, the daily sales was in the range of about Rs 100 crore and it would cross the Rs 105 to Rs 110 crore mark during weekends and festival seasons like, New Year, Pongal and Deepavali.
Ever since the TASMAC has been granted the exclusive privilege of Retail Vending of Indian Made Foreign Spirits under Section 17-C(1-B )(a) of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act, 1937 (Tamil Nadu Act X of 1937), from 29 November, 2003 by the then AIADMK government headed by J Jayalaltihaa, there has been a significant increase in liquor sales in the state with every passing year, amid various political parties demanding implementation of total prohibition in the state, especially at the time of elections.
From Rs 3,639.93 crore in 2003-2004, the sales crossed the Rs 5,000 crore mark in 2005-06 to Rs 6,030.77 crore and went past the Rs 10,000 crore mark in 2008-09 to Rs 10,601.50 crore.
In the last ten years, the sales went up from close to Rs 15,000 crore in 2010-11 to Rs 21,680.67 crore in 2012-13, breached the Rs 25,000 crore barrier in 2015-16 at Rs 25,845.58 crore.
In the last six years, the revenue earned through liquor sales stood at Rs 26,995.25 crore, Rs 26,797.96 crore, Rs 31,157.83 crore, Rs 33,133.24 crore, Rs 33,811.14 crore and Rs 36,013.14 crore in 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively.