Chennai: With an aim to pay tribute to late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa who had promised staggered prohibition in Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK government has decided to close 500 Tasmac shops from February 24, the first birth anniversary of the late leader.
Sources in the government told Deccan Chronicle that the 500 Tasmac shops, which have already been identified, would be closed from February 24, taking the number of liquor outlets shut since May 2016 to 1,000. Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisami announced on Monday morning that the government would close down an additional 500 Tasmac shops.
"The government has decided to mark Jayalalithaa's birth anniversary on Friday by closing these 500 shops across the state. The government feels it will be a fitting tribute to the late leader who had promised prohibition in phases during her May 2016 election campaign," a senior government official told this newspaper.
The 500 shops that are to be closed down are located near temples, mosque, churches, and educational institutions and in those areas where residents protested against the outlets, the sources said, adding none of these 500 shops are located on the highways.
The sources also said the government has rehabilitated nearly 2,000 employees working in the 500 Tasmac shops closed last year. "While many have been transferred to other liquor shops which register good sales to reduce the burden on those already working, the remaining have posted at godowns and as members of the flying squad of the government," the sources said.
They said the government was contemplating on the formula to rehabilitate another 2,000 people who will be rendered jobless after these 500 shops are shut from Friday. State-run Tasmac has monopoly over sales of liquor in Tamil Nadu and currently has nearly 6,000 outlets raking in revenue of '28,000 crore per year.
Late Jayalalithaa had promised that her government would implement prohibition in a phased manner and had ordered closure of 500 shops and reduced the working hours of Tasmac outlets by two hours immediately after she took over as chief minister for a sixth time in May 2016.
