Tamil Nadu: Bumper Pongal Fest Liquor Sale

Chennai, Jan 15: A record Rs 317 crore worth of liquor was sold in
Tamil Nadu on Pongal day yesterday, yielding a bumper for the State-owned
TASMAC, which earned a three-day festival revenue of Rs 675.19 crore.
TASMAC officials said in view of the closure of liquor shops announced
by the State government for two successive days –today (Thiruvalluvar
Day) and tomorrow (Sunday total COVID lockdown)–that too it came
during weekends, tipplers thronged the shops to ensure that they had
enough stock for the two days.

On the first Sunday’s total lockdown eve last week, TASMAC sold liquor
worth Rs 217.96 crore, much higher than what it sold on New Year’s Eve
when celebrations were muted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On December 31, 2021, it sold liquor worth Rs 147.69 crore, lower than in
the previous two years.
With the government announcing a dry day on January 18 for Vallalar day,
Monday is expected to see another bumper sale for TASMAC.
Officials said liquor to the tune of Rs 317.08 crore was sold through the
state-owned Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) during
the Pongal festival day yesterday, which is thus far the highest single day
sale recorded in recent years.
Among the major districts, Madurai topped the sales with Rs 68.76 crore,
followed by Trichy Rs 65.52 crore, Salem Rs 63.87 crore, and Coimbatore
Rs 59.65 crore and Chennai Rs 59.28 crore as brisk sales were witnessed
till the shutters were brought down at 10.00 p.m. last night.
The TASMAC officials also ensured that there was adequate stock of liquor
in all the retail outlets by sending replenishments in time.
Sources said the sales stood at Rs 155.06 crore on January 12 and Rs 203.05
crore on January 13 (Pongal eve), taking the cumulative last three days sale
alone to Rs 675.19 crore, with Madurai topping with Rs 144.74 crore sale.
The State government in its Policy Note for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise
department had stated that the sale of liquor through TASMAC, which stood
at Rs 33,133.24 crore in 2019-20, had marginally increased to Rs 33,811.14
crores in 2020-21.
Percentage wise the sales margin might be slightly lower when compared to
previous years, as the sale of liquor through 5,300 Retail Vending Shops in
38 districts, was one of the major revenue earners for the state government
for funding its various welfare schemes.
On an average, the daily sales will be in the range of about Rs 120 crore
to Rs 130 crore and it would be much higher during weekends and cross
Rs 200 crore mark during 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 November
29, 2003 by the then AIADMK government headed by Ms J Jayalaltihaa, there
has been a significant increase in liquor sales in the state with every passing
year, amid various political parties wanted implementation of total prohibition
in the state, a demand which would gain momentum 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 five 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 and Rs 33,811.14 crore in 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and
2020-21 respectively.