Tamil Nadu's Prohibition and Excise Minister K Vignesh announced that corruption amounting to Rs 3,600 crore annually in the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) has been stopped. The minister made this statement on Saturday, highlighting the state government's efforts under Chief Minister Vijay to create a drug-free Tamil Nadu, according to livemint.com.
Vignesh explained that at Rs 10 extra per bottle, at least Rs 10 crore was collected illicitly each day, totaling Rs 300 crore monthly and Rs 3,600 crore yearly. He added that employees received only a small fraction of this amount, while their reputations were unfairly damaged. The minister described this as a major revolution in curbing corruption within TASMAC, as reported by the New Indian Express and cited by livemint.com.
This development is significant given TASMAC's role as the government-owned entity controlling liquor sales in Tamil Nadu, a sector historically plagued by corruption. The scale of the halted corruption underscores the challenges faced by state-run monopolies in India. The move aligns with broader efforts by the Tamil Nadu government to reduce alcohol consumption and improve governance in public enterprises, as detailed by livemint.com.
The minister's announcement on June 6 marks a key milestone in Tamil Nadu's anti-corruption drive within TASMAC. The government continues to focus on enforcing stricter controls and ensuring transparency in liquor sales, aiming to sustain these gains and support the goal of a drug-free state, according to livemint.com.