Chennai: Even as there is a raging debate about whether Rajinikanth-starrer Petta or Ajith Kumar’s Viswasam had the maximum box office collection, there is some jaw-dropping stats from TASMAC liquor shops.
Yes, according to an official, in the five days holidays – if you don’t count the preceding weekend and following weekend – Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) sold liquor worth Rs 735 core. The figure was Rs 500 crore two days back.
There are 4,800 liquor shops run by TASMAC in Tamilnadu. These shops sell about Rs 75-80 crore worth of liquor on an average day and this goes up to Rs 95 crore during weekends. But the major jump in sales happens during holidays like Deepavali, Pongal, New Year, etc.
This year, during the five-day Pongal festival holiday, it was expected that TASMAC would be able to rake in Rs 750 crore. The break-up provided by an official, according to reports, is: Rs 108 crore on 12 January, Rs 129 crore on 13 January, Rs 139 crore on Bhogi day, and it peaked to Rs 209 crore on Pongal day (15 January) and dipped slightly on Kaanum Pongal day (17 January) to Rs 150 crore.
Since 16 January was Thiruvalluvar Day, liquor shops were shut throughout the State.
During the 4-day holiday for Deepavali last year, liquor sales through TASMAC touched Rs 602 crore, and it was projected that during the 5-day holiday for Pongal, the figures would be Rs 750 crore. The official said they had almost neared it with Rs 735 crore so far this year.
Another nugget of information he gave was that the Madurai zone had the maximum guzzlers.