TIL Desk/National/Chennai-Taking a major step in fulfilling one of the key poll promises, the AIADMK Government led by Chief Minister by J Jayalalithaa Sunday closed down 500 state-owned TASMAC liquor shops across Tamil Nadu, as part of implementation of total prohibition in a phased manner.
Soon after assuming office as CM for a sixth time on May 23, Jayalalithaa signed five files including reducing the TASMAC shop timings by two hours and said 500 liquor shops would be closed down in the first phase. Barely three weeks after signing the files, the state government issued orders to close down 500 TASMAC outlets from today.
Leaders of various political parties, social activists and general public have welcomed this move by the Chief Minister. It may be noted that sale of liquor through the more than 6,000-odd TASMAC shops was one of the major revenue earner for the state government. Over the years, the revenue had been on the increase with every passing year and it crossed Rs 25,000 crore mark during the last two years. A total of Rs 70 crore was earned as revenue per day across the state. With the closing down of 500 shops, the state government was expected to lose a revenue of about Rs five to Rs seven crores per day.
