The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) has taken disciplinary action against its employees for overcharging customers at liquor outlets. It has suspended 67 employees for selling liquor above the prescribed Maximum Retail Price (MRP).
The crackdown has covered all major regions, with employees from the Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchi, Salem, and Coimbatore regions among those suspended. The move comes amid growing complaints of customers being charged more than the printed price at State-run liquor shops.
“In a stringent warning, the Corporation has decided that even a single instance of overcharging could result in the suspension of the entire unit (all workers in a shop). We will continue this until the practice is brought to an end,” a source in Tasmac said.
On Wednesday, squads were sent to check, and based on their feedback and consumer complaints, action was taken, he added. The exercise will continue in the coming days.
“Earlier, employees had said they were collecting extra money to meet shop expenses. The government has now taken steps to address employees’ concerns over low salaries — by increasing their pay and accepting their key demands. With these issues addressed, the continued collection of money above the MRP is unacceptable,” the source said.
As on July 2026, Tasmac has 4,048 retail vending shops and a workforce of 22,877 (6,473 supervisers, 14,379 salespersons, and 2,025 assistant salespersons). For the year 2025-2026, the cash cow of the Tamil Nadu government earned revenues of ₹50,845 crore, a record-high.
Published – September 03, 2026 12:37 am IST
