Chennai, Sept 4:
More than 160 employees of the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) have been suspended in two days amid complaints of liquor being sold above the maximum retail price.
As many as 67 employees were suspended for three months on September 2, followed by more than 100 employees the next day.
Officials said disciplinary action had been taken across several regions, including Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchy, Salem and Madurai. The Prohibition and Excise Department has not yet released the exact number of employees suspended.
The action follows a warning issued to Tasmac employees against overcharging customers. The department had cautioned that repeat violations could result in dismissal.
The government recently announced revised salaries for Tasmac employees, with the new pay structure coming into effect from September 1.
Under the revised structure, supervisors will receive Rs 33,033 a month, while salesmen and assistant salesmen will receive Rs 30,284 and Rs 28,680 respectively.
The government has also announced benefits including festival bonus, rotational weekly offs and an eight-hour duty period.