The state has decided to export beer from the state breweries to compensate for the losses accrued on account of the closure of more than 3,000 liquor shops following the Supreme Court order.
The SC had earlier banned the sale of liquor within 500m of state and national highways.
A bill was introduced in the assembly on Wednesday to allow the export of beer and it was passed on the same day, reported The Times of India.
Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise P Thangamani, told ToI that they 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 and the data shows that the beer market in the states 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 came down to 20 lakh, reported ToI.
On March 31, the apex court ruled that the national ban on sale of liquor within 500m of national and state highways will be upheld. The judgment says that these establishments cannot function from April 1, 2017.
The News Minute had earlier reported that after the announcement of prohibition of liquor in the state and following the closure of about 1000 shops, the profits of the state from liquor sales have actually increased.
According to data released by the Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise revenue- liquor sales till May this fiscal year have surpassed the previous year’s by a whopping Rs 1,149 crore. While the total revenue from sale of liquor came up to Rs.25,845 crore between 2015 and 2016, the succeeding year has seen revenue rise up to Rs 26,995 crore (till May).