The Tamil Nadu government has announced a 25 per cent salary hike for employees working at state-run TASMAC liquor outlets, marking the first major pay revision for the workforce in nearly two decades. The government said the move is aimed at improving employee welfare while addressing persistent complaints of overcharging at liquor shops.
According to the state government, the revised salaries are expected to reduce the practice of collecting an additional ₹10 per bottle from customers, a complaint that has frequently surfaced at TASMAC outlets across Tamil Nadu. Officials believe that improving employee pay will help discourage such practices and promote greater transparency in the functioning of the retail network.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Explaining the decision, Minister Vignesh said the salary revision was intended to ensure that TASMAC employees no longer resort to charging customers above the prescribed price. He added that the government remains committed to reforming the operations of the state-run liquor retailer and improving accountability at retail outlets.
The pay revision is one of the latest initiatives undertaken by the Tamil Nadu government to strengthen the functioning of TASMAC, which is the state’s monopoly retailer for alcoholic beverages and a significant contributor to government revenue.
Consumers have long complained about being forced to pay more than the printed price at several TASMAC outlets, with allegations that employees routinely collected an unofficial surcharge on liquor bottles. The government hopes the salary increase will remove the financial incentive behind such practices and improve customer experience.
The announcement has drawn attention as it represents the first substantial wage revision for TASMAC employees in around 20 years. While the government has projected the move as a step towards cleaner and more transparent retail operations, its effectiveness in eliminating overcharging will become clear only after the revised salaries are implemented and monitored.
The salary hike reflects the government’s broader effort to reform public services while balancing employee welfare with consumer interests.
