Chennai: Unmindful of all the fuss over imposing total prohibition, the sale of liquor in Tamil Nadu continues unabated, with the numbers crossing the Rs. 25,000 mark in 2015-16.

According to the Prohibition and Excise Minister, P. Thangamani’s report in the Assembly, the government earned Rs. 25,854.58 crores from liquor sales in 2015-16, compared to Rs. 24,164.95 crores the previous year. The excise revenue in 2015-16 was Rs. 20,009.57 crores, against Rs. 18,000 crores the year before. The revenue generated by liquor sales crossed the Rs. 20,000 crore mark for the first time in 2012-13. Within three years, it has gone up by Rs. 5,000 crores.

There are currently about 6200 liquor outlets in Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK government had promised to impose total prohibition in a phased manner. Soon after returning to power, the Chief Minister ordered the closure of 500 liquor shops.