Editorial: Tasmac in need of sobering up

While tipplers in the rest of the state, barring Chennai and its suburbs, were offered some respite when outlets in those regions opened up on May 7, consumers in the capital had to wait until this week to indulge themselves as over 800 liquor shops in these areas turned functional on Tuesday.

The TN government made this decision even as the sword of Damocles hung over its head. On one hand, it was staring at mounting economic losses that could be plugged to an extent by one of its key revenue generators - Tasmac. The liquor outlets channel a significant Rs 30,000 cr in annual revenues to the government, coughing up a daily revenue in the range of Rs 100 crore. On the other hand, the state had to weigh its options concerning crowd control at outlets, deploying manpower for law and order enforcement, all in the backdrop of the raging COVID-19 pandemic that is set to breach 3.5 lakh cases in the coming days.

The government did introduce a system whereby only 500 tokens would be issued per day between 10 am and 7 pm. But as is the norm with anything to do with liquor sale in the state, tipplers had begun forming queues early in the day to get their share of alcohol. The government had even gone on to impose a 15 per cent hike in excise duty on Indian Made Foreign Liquor in May which resulted in price surges ranging between Rs 10 to Rs 20 for a 180 ml unit of generic and premium labels. The state’s focus on revenue isn’t unwarranted, so to speak. Tasmac’s earnings had dipped by over 35 per cent owing to the state’s stringent lockdown measures, and the re-opening is being seen as one of the few ways to alleviate TN’s fiscal woes.

While members of the Opposition parties and many among the general public have expressed dismay at the government’s decision, it seems almost imminent that prohibition won’t be a part of the government’s vocabulary, considering the kind of earnings that could be wiped out by enforcement of the same. What might be essential, and dare we say is the need of the hour, is offering this government-owned entity, a sense of respectability, and a manifesto of sorts for responsible consumption. A big chunk of the criticism levelled at Tasmac outlets stems from the haphazard manner in which they have been operating. They are often located in nooks and crannies of low-income neighbourhoods, adjacent to ill-maintained bars that bear witness to unruly behaviour on the part of its patrons.

The state will need to seriously consider giving Tasmac outlets a complete overhaul - beginning with their placement to newer modes of sales and distribution, in the aftermath of the pandemic. The Elite Tasmac could be seen as a stepping stone in its evolution - from a purely mass-market outlet to a modern retail experience. Keeping safety in mind, the government should now offer home delivery of liquor via online platforms or aggregators, following the lead of states like Punjab and West Bengal. To prevent indiscriminate consumption, the option of a liquor licence for customers can also be thought of, which can be Aadhaar-linked. It might not be 100 per cent foolproof, but it still brings a degree of accountability to alcohol consumption, and in turn, can be a deterrent to underage drinking and bootlegging.

It must be borne in mind that the notion of total prohibition might be impractical as far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, no matter how vociferously any political party promises it. For long, the state has relied on lip service warnings on liquor products that deemed consumption as injurious to the health of the individual, the family, and the nation. It’s time the government adopted a grown-up and mature approach to the sale of liquor, and regulated it responsibly.