Closed: 500 TASMAC shops from today

Starting Friday, Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Ltd, popularly called TASMAC, will bring down the shutters on 500 liquor shops and 169 bars across the State.

With this closure, the number of liquor outlets now stands at 5,700. Former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had promised phased prohibition in the run-up to the 2016 Assembly elections and today (February 24) is her birthday.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswmi on Thursday said the outlets would be closed from Friday.

He said 500 liquor shops and 169 bars would be closed from today and jobs of all the surplus staff would be protected by providing them alternate employment in TASMAC office.

Analysts say that the closure would result in a ₹2-3 crore loss per day. Currently, TASMAC sells liquor worth ₹67-70 crore per day through its outlets across the State.

Palaniswami on his first day in office on February 20, signed five files, including the one to close down 500 TASMAC shops as part of the AIADMK's promise made in the manifesto during the Assembly elections last year that total prohibition would be introduced in the state in a phased manner.