500 Tasmac outlets to be closed in this fiscal year: Senthilbalaji

CHENNAI: Electricity, Prohibition and Excise Minister V Senthilbalaji on Wednesday announced that 500 Tasmac (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation) retail outlets will be closed in 2023-24.

Replying to the debate on the demand for grants for his ministry, he said that out of the 5,329 retail outlets, 500 'eligible' outlets will be identified and closed.

He said that 96 outlets have been closed in the last two years for reasons such as functioning in restricted areas like temples, and schools and colleges surroundings flouting the existing rules. "More shops will either be shifted or permanently closed if found to be being run in restricted zones," he said, replying to AIADMK and Congress MLAs.

In the new announcements, the minister said that CCTV cameras will be installed in 500 outlets at a cost of Rs 16 crore. He also said that the consolidated pay for supervisors, salesmen and assistant salesmen at Tasmac retail outlets will be increased by Rs 1,100, Rs 930 and Rs 840 respectively from April 1 at a cost of Rs 31.57 crore.