TAMIL NADU, (India): Just two days after taking oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C Joseph Vijay has launched one of the biggest liquor control drives in the state by ordering the closure of 717 government-run TASMAC liquor shops located near schools, temples, and bus stands.
The Chief Minister has ordered the closure within two weeks of 717 liquor retail sales outlets located up to 500 metres from places of worship, educational institutions, and bus stands. The directive was confirmed through an official press release by the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR).
“With the welfare of the general public in mind, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C. Joseph Vijay, has issued orders to close, within two weeks, 717 retail liquor shops situated within a 500-metre radius of places of worship, educational institutions, and bus stands,” the official press release stated on Tuesday (May 12).
What the survey found
Soon after assuming office, the Chief Minister ordered a statewide survey to identify shops functioning near places of worship, educational institutions, and bus stands. Tamil Nadu currently has 4,765 retail liquor outlets operated by TASMAC.
The survey identified 717 outlets falling within the restricted zones: 276 near places of worship, 186 near educational institutions, and 255 near bus stands. All 717 have been ordered shut within two weeks.
A campaign promise turned policy
The decision marks one of the first major administrative actions by the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government and signals Vijay’s push to fulfil his election promise of creating a safer and drug-free Tamil Nadu.
Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), had promised stringent measures against alcohol and drug abuse in Tamil Nadu in its election manifesto.
The TVK manifesto highlighted youth safety, women’s security, and public welfare as key priorities.
During the Assembly election campaign, Vijay and the TVK leadership had sharply criticised successive governments for allegedly encouraging the expansion of liquor sales while ignoring its social and economic consequences.
The revenue question
The order does not come without cost. The move carries real fiscal weight. TASMAC liquor sales are a significant source of government revenue in Tamil Nadu, and previous administrations have resisted large-scale closures for that reason. The decision to shut nearly 15 per cent of the state’s liquor retail network immediately will likely face pushback from those concerned about the revenue impact, even as it wins broad public support across party lines.
The move comes amid long-standing demands from various political parties and social organisations seeking the closure of liquor shops situated in sensitive public areas, despite TASMAC being a major source of revenue for the state government.
TASMAC under the ED scanner
The closure order also comes at a time when TASMAC itself is under legal scrutiny from central agencies. TASMAC has been under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over alleged money laundering and financial irregularities. Last year, the central agency conducted raids at multiple locations across Tamil Nadu as part of an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) involving TASMAC and related entities.
The Enforcement Directorate conducted raids in connection with alleged offences linked to the corporation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. - The Statesman/ANN
