TASMAC warns staff of suspension for overcharging

Chennai: Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), the government body that procures and sells liquor through its outlets and supply systems, has warned its staff at the retail shops of severe action like suspension from service if they continue to overcharge customers.

Employees of TASMAC have been facing the wrath of clients and others for consistently collecting a minimum of Rs 10 over and above the price of a quarter bottle of liquor. While the extra Rs 10 is on the cheapest of the brands sold by them, the additional charge on high-end brands and bigger sized bottles was much higher.

With social media users and others trolling the prevalent trend among sales personnel of the retail outlets for their penchant to collect extra money as a matter of right and with some alleging that the additional amount collected went to the Minister concerned, TASMAC instructed its staff not to charge more than the MRP.

However, it is learnt that the practice continued. So TASMAC managing director S Visakan came out with a circular urging supervisors, salespersons and assistant salespersons not to charge over and above the MRP and warned them of strict action, including suspension.

TASMAC shops, including the Elite Shops that dispense with top notch Indian and and foreign brands of liquor, do have a system of displaying a price list or providing a receipt to customers, which actually encourages the staff to overcharge.