Proposal to regularise more than 23,000 contract workers of TASMAC liquor shops

Chennai, Jul 7 (PTI) The state-owned TASMAC, a monopoly in selling liquor in Tamil Nadu, has proposed to regularise the services of over 23,000 contract workers employed at TASMAC liquor outlets with a salary hike. Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) has 38 district offices, 43 Indian made foreign liquor depots, 4,787 retail vending shops, and 2,362 bars attached to the retail vending shops, according to the 2025-2026 policy note of the Home Prohibition and Excise Department. TASMAC sources said that a comprehensive proposal to do a structural revamp is being placed before the TASMAC board of directors. The proposed reforms, which include a substantial salary hike and an extension of the retirement age to 60. "If approved, the reforms will help the contract workers realise their decades-old demand and dream of getting their services regularised. They were recruited as contract staff when the state took over retail liquor sales back in 2003," a senior official of TASMAC said. The contract workers are currently managing with meagre wages - shop supervisors get a consolidated salary of Rs 17,800 per month, salesmen get Rs 15,300 per month, and assistant salesmen receive Rs 14,300 every month. However, the new salary structure for TASMAC liquor shop employees will be finalised only after the board of directors approve the proposal. Welcoming the move, D Dhanasekaran, General Secretary, TN Tasmac Employees Union said, "In the past, we have sent several requests to the government to increase the salary of the staff and regularise our services on a par with state government employees. The new proposal will bring huge relief to the staff". PTI SNR SNR ADB