Tamil Nadu’s excise department has acknowledged that state-run liquor outlets systematically overcharged customers for years through an unauthorized bottle deposit scheme. State minister K. Vignesh disclosed that outlets collected roughly ₹10 extra per bottle for about four years before an official deposit system was introduced last year. With TASMAC selling close to one crore bottles a day in 2021-22, this markup resulted in an estimated ₹10 crore skimmed daily, totaling about ₹300 crore a month and ₹3,600 crore annually.
According to the minister, much of this money appears to have been diverted rather than given to shop staff or the state treasury. The disclosure occurs amid a broader anti-corruption push inside the state’s liquor retail monopoly after actor-politician Vijay’s TVK party took charge of the government.
Authorities are now working to eliminate any charge above the printed maximum retail price by the end of the month and to tighten accountability across outlets. The reforms also target inflated procurement commissions that officials state cost the exchequer thousands of crores annually.