COIMBATORE: Minister for prohibition and excise K Vignesh on Monday said the govt will consider privatising the administration of Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) if irregularities continue.
Four staff members had been suspended for allegedly forcing shop closures, while show-cause notices had been issued to 960 employees. He announced that within the next 20 days, consumers would be allowed to return empty liquor bottles purchased at any Tasmac outlet to any shop in the state. Govt is procuring 40,048 specialised machines to implement the system. The minister said govt was examining the feasibility of setting up Tasmac outlets on premises measuring 500 to 1,000 square feet.
He said employees had gone on strike five times in the past six months. Speaking to reporters at Kurichi in Coimbatore, the minister said irregularities in the collection and accounting of empty liquor bottles at Tasmac outlets constituted one of the biggest scams in the state, blaming administrative lapses under previous govts for the corporation’s current problems. The minister said although a report had been submitted to the court claiming proper handling of empty bottles, the corresponding revenue had not been accounted for. Plans were under way to deploy additional staffers during peak hours and recruit more personnel, he said.
The minister warned Tasmac employees against resorting to strikes and forcing unauthorised shop closures. He urged the public to report irregularities with specific shop numbers. He alleged that the money collected during former minister V Senthilbalaji’s tenure had reached his residence. Steps would be taken to prevent the unauthorised sub-leasing of private bars.