Chennai: State-run liquor retailer, Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac), generated a revenue of ₹50,845.84 crore in 2025-26, a 5.1% increase over the previous year, according to a policy note from the state’s prohibition and excise department.The corporation posted ₹48,381.07 crore in revenue in 2024-25, and increased its revenue by ₹2,464.77 crore this year. Sales tax accounted for ₹39,010 crore, with the remaining ₹11,835.82 crore coming from excise duty. So far, in 2026-27, Tasmac has brought in ₹17,854 crore, despite the closure of 717 shops after a change in govt, said minister K Vignesh.The figures became a point of contention in the assembly after MLA Jayaraman questioned how revenue could climb even as outlets shut down. Vignesh defended the trend, noting that Tasmac earned about ₹45,000 crore in 2023-24 when 500 outlets were closed under the previous administration. For 2025-26, revenue crossed ₹50,000 crore and generated an additional ₹5,000 crore, despite 500 fewer shops, he said.“The MLA would have understood the logic if he had thought it over. In fact, it is time to introspect if closing liquor shops really brings down sales. Since 2016, sales have increased when the number of shops were reduced. MLAs should think about proposing closure of shops to bring down sales,” said the minister.
