Tamil Nadu has decided to export beer from the State’s breweries to compensate for the losses. Following the Supreme Court order, more than 3,000 liquor shops have been closed which is the reason behind the huge losses.
On Wednesday, a bill was introduced in the assembly to allow the export of beer and it was passed on the same day, a popular news channel reported.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had banned the sale of liquor within 500 meters of state and national highways.
P. Thangamani, Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise said that they have closed thousands of liquor shops and the companies which supply beer to the TASMAC will be out of business. So, they wanted to amend Section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act, 1937.
The State has about 18 major and minor distilleries (a place where liquor is manufactured.) In fact, a data showed that the beer market in the state has not been affected much by the Supreme Court ruling. In April 2017, the state sold about 24 lakh cases of beer and in May it has come down to 20 lakh.
As per the report released by the Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise revenue, this year until the month of May, liquor sales have surpassed the previous year by a whopping Rs. 1,149 crore. The total revenue from the sale of liquor between 2015 and 2016 came up to Rs. 25,845 crore and the succeeding year has seen revenue increased up to Rs. 26,995 crore (till May.)
