New Vijay govt in Tamil Nadu orders closure of 717 TASMAC liquor shops within two weeks

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has ordered the closure of 717 state-run liquor shops located within 500 metres of places of worship, educational institutions and bus stands, an official release said on Tuesday.

The move, aimed at safeguarding public welfare, is to be implemented within the next two weeks, according to a press release issued by the Department of Information and Public Relations.

"In the interest of public welfare, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C. Joseph Vijay, has ordered the closure within two weeks of 717 retail liquor shops located within 500 metres of places of worship, educational institutions, and bus stands," the release said.

The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), which has the monopoly over retail liquor sales in the state, currently operates 4,765 outlets.

The chief minister had earlier directed officials to inspect and identify liquor shops functioning within 500 metres of temples, churches, mosques, schools, colleges and bus stands.

Following the inspection, authorities found that 717 TASMAC outlets were operating within the restricted zones, the release said.

Of the shops ordered to be shut, 276 are located near places of worship, 186 near educational institutions and 255 near bus stands.

After the closure of these outlets, the total number of TASMAC liquor shops in the state will come down to 4,048.

The state government said the decision was taken in the interest of public welfare.