Tamil Nadu’s annual revenue from Tasmac Rs 1,700 crore higher than last year

CHENNAI: Liquor continues to boost revenue in Tamil Nadu. The state govt earned 45,855.67 crore by way of sales tax and excise duty on liquor sold through the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) in the financial year ended March 31, 2024.

This is 1,734.54 crore more than the revenue earned the previous year, a 2% rise despite the spike in liquor prices in Feb this year. But the policy note of the prohibition and excise department for 2024-25 says the number is subject to revision.

Of the revenue earned, 10,774.28 crore was from excise duty, while 35,081.39 crore was from sales tax. Sources in Tasmac said several liquor outlets had registered lower sales compared to last year, leading to the reduced revenue growth. In 2022-23, revenue from Tasmac was 44,121.13 crore, which was 8,000 crore or 21.5% more than the revenue generated in 2021-22.

The revenue from export of beer to other states and abroad in 2023-24 was 1.88 crore. As many as 3,20,024 cases of beer were exported during the year. The state govt also earned 53.93 crore through the special fee on imported foreign liquor.

Without naming the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy, the policy note said the govt had taken measures to avert deaths due to illicit liquor. “District superintendents of police have also been instructed to check all methanol manufacturing units, end-users, factories, industries that have licences to possess methanol in the state. Their monthly reports are closely analysed at the enforcement headquarters. All district collectors have been instructed by the govt to monitor all the units in possession of methanol licences and inspect these premises frequently and check for any deviation or malpractice,” it said.

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