Daily labours exist everywhere around the country. They work hard all the day and feel tired with acute body pains. Most of them won’t consult a doctor, but they have a medicine available in TASMAC. They spend their hard earned money in these government owned retail outlets to have a sip of this useless elixir.
Tamil Nadu government has monopoly over wholesale and retail vending of alcoholic beverages in Tamil Nadu. These TASMAC outlets provide 17% liquor to Indians. Government earned windfall revenues since their inception in 2003. Successive governments have used these revenues to throw freebies to its people. The estimated revenue for this fiscal year is 30000 crore rupees.
Tamil Nadu is famous in India for its freebies. Political parties announce to provide colour televisions, mixer grinders, laptop computers, fans, bicycles etc.. to its citizens for their electoral benefits. And revenues of TASMAC shops support these freebies. It is shame on Tamil Nadu which boasts of great culture and history.
Disadvantages of these TASMAC outlets have more impact among rural population. How come will they save money when they spend at these shops daily? 40% men in rural areas have drinking habit.
Universal fact in this context is supply and merchandising to these outlets is controlled by few political factions. There is lot of corruption happening in these outlets. From brewing the liquor to marketing it in the shops, several brands which were unheard till few years ago have entered into the market. For example, there is a small pouch of spurious liquor called Andhra Packet which costs twenty rupees. Once sold surreptitiously, it entered legally into these outlets.
Most of these shops have bars attached with it. You can go there to buy and drink and finally create nuisance in the public. According to Tamil movies, you can find great amount peace and good amount patient friends who listen to your worries at these bars.
Nobody dares to rent a house for a family near TASMAC outlets.
The government argues that due to TASMAC shops, besides hefty revenues to exchequer, they successfully curtailed the illicit trading of liquor. But they have forgot the fact that it is making many rural housewives suffer.
I wonder how Tamil Nadu government successfully made liquor available to all sections of people at proportional prices. You can even find premium shops in shopping malls across the cities in the state serving international brands.
From Upper class to lower class, from college student to a retired employee, from labour to politician the elixir of life is available in TASMAC. So my dear government, go ahead and spoil the state.
TASMAC is Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation.
Feature Image photo credit: Restocking the tasmac by Tom Bradnock, CC BY-NC-ND-2.0
SABARI GANESH 
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