Chennai, May 5: The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday announced that the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) state-run alcohol shops will not open in Greater Chennai City police limits on May 7. The state government said the opening date in this area will be announced later. On Monday, the Edappadi Palaniswami-led government in the southern state had announced the resumption of liquor sales from May 7 across the state, except for containment zones.

Liquor outlets have been shut across the country since March 24 ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the first COVID-19 lockdown in India. According to reports, the decision to open the state-run retail outlets across Tamil Nadu was taken after people in districts bordering Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh thronged to liquor shops there which started functioning from Monday. Liquor Shops to Re-Open in Tamil Nadu From May 7, State Govt Asks People to Follow Social Distancing Norms.

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In a bid to control people's movement, the state government on Monday allowed re-opening of the shops from May 7 with strict implementation of social distancing norms. The sale of alcohol in Tamil Nadu is nationalised with TASMAC being the sole agency retailing it. The TASMAC outlets have been closed since March 24 amid the state-wide lockdown.

Reports inform that the TASMAC is one of the highest revenue generating bodies in Tamil Nadu. As per data produced by Tamil Nadu Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise P Thangamani at the Assembly, TASMAC earned Rs 28,839.08 crore in the last financial year up till February.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 05, 2020 12:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).