Tipplers in Tamil Nadu have contributed more to the state government's coffers,with the Prohibition and Excise department earning about Rs 15,000 crore from them in the year 2010-11,registering a near 20 per cent growth. More pints seem to have gone down,with the earnings touching a little over Rs 14,965 crore in 2010-11,as against the Rs 12,498.22 crore the previous year,according to the policy note of the Prohibition and Excise department tabled in the Assembly by its Minister R Viswanathan. "For the year 2010-11,revenue collection is Rs 8115.90 rore by way of excise and Rs 6849.52 crore by way of sales tax,thus totalling Rs 14,965.42 crore.This shows a growth rate of 19.74 per cent when compared to the previous year," Viswanathan,also Electricity Minister,said. Prohibition and Excise was a "major revenue earning department," he said in the policy note. Liquor sales is a nationalised affair in the state with AIADMK government in 2003 handing over the task to Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation which runs a total of 6690 retail shops in the state selling Indian Made Foreign Spirits,Beer and Wine products.
