Chennai, Oct 22 (IANS) Diwali brought cheer not just to revellers but also to the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), which reported record liquor sales worth ₹789.85 crore in the three days leading up to the festival.

The spike in demand was attributed to festive bonuses, extended celebrations, and the long weekend that preceded the holiday.

TASMAC, which operates 4,787 retail outlets across the state, typically records an average daily sale exceeding ₹150 crore. However, on special occasions and weekends, the figure often rises sharply — and this year’s Diwali rush proved to be one of the highest ever.

With employees from both government and private sectors receiving their festival bonuses, customers had extra cash in hand, prompting many to celebrate lavishly.

Beginning on the Saturday before Diwali, liquor outlets witnessed long queues from noon until closing time at 10 p.m. as customers stocked up for the celebrations. The surge in crowd volume even caused temporary disruptions in sales at several outlets due to the overwhelming turnout.

According to official figures, TASMAC sold ₹789.85 crore worth of liquor between Saturday and Monday — a significant increase from the ₹650 crore recorded during the same period last year.

This represents an impressive ₹140 crore year-on-year jump in festive sales.

District-wise, the Madurai zone led the sales chart with ₹171 crore, followed closely by Chennai (₹158 crore), Tiruchirappalli (₹157 crore), Salem (₹153 crore), and Coimbatore (₹150 crore).

In comparison, the figures during earlier Diwali seasons were far lower — ₹230.66 crore in 2018, ₹293.73 crore in 2019, and ₹266.06 crore in 2020, reflecting a steady and sharp upward trend over the years.

TASMAC, a state-run enterprise that contributes substantially to Tamil Nadu’s revenue, is once again under focus for the social and economic implications of such massive liquor consumption. While the state exchequer benefits from the soaring sales, public health experts continue to express concern over the growing drinking culture linked to festival spending patterns.

At present, however, the record-breaking numbers underscore how Diwali continues to light up not just homes across Tamil Nadu but also the state’s liquor trade coffers.

–IANS

aal/rad