Tipplers fume as TASMAC hikes liquor prices

The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) on Monday increased the prices of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) sold through wine shops in the State.

According to official sources, the rates have been revised anywhere between Rs 5 and Rs 10 for liquor varieties falling under the ordinary and medium segments, comprising brandy and whiskey.  In a few elite segments such as Scotch, the revision is around Rs 90 per 780 ml bottle.

Claiming that the revision was an attempt at rationalising the prices, an official said,  “The revision is expected to generate revenue to the tune of Rs 600 crore during the upcoming months of this financial year.”

Meanwhile, the sudden hike effected by TASMAC came as a surprise for some tipplers, who picked up arguments with the salesmen at wine shops over the revision. 

According to Dhanasekaran, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu TASMAC Employees Union affiliated to the AITUC, a few salesmen at the counters faced problems in handling consumers, as they refused to pay the extra charges, despite an official revised price list pasted at the shops.

“The authorities  should publicise such revisions well in advance to avoid such problems for shopkeepers like us in the future,” he added.