Tamil Nadu is at fifth position in terms of alcohol consumption.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay has ordered the closure of 717 government liquor shops in the state. It has been said in the order that these shops are in religious places along with schools and bus stands. Two weeks' time has been given to close them. A survey data shows that 1.32 crore people drink alcohol in Tamil Nadu.

Out of 1.32 crore, there are 70 lakh people who drink alcohol daily. According to NFHS-5 (2019-21), about 29.2% of men in Tamil Nadu drink alcohol, while among women this figure is only 0.4%. In terms of sales, Tamil Nadu is counted among those states where there is a big market for liquor.

Tamil Nadu: Among the top 5 people who drink the most alcohol

An interesting thing in the case of Tamil Nadu is that despite being among the states that consume the most alcohol, it is lagging behind in terms of revenue. There are policies of the state government behind this. GiveIt is at fifth place in terms of maximum alcohol consumption in India. According to NFHS (National Family Health Survey-5), the state earns revenue of about Rs 7,262.30 crore from liquor. Liquor is a major source of revenue for state governments. State excise duty is imposed on it.

• Uttar Pradesh: Uttar Pradesh is at the top in terms of alcohol consumption. It remains at number one among the large population, retail network and demand for liquor. Due to high consumption, it is also at the forefront in terms of revenue. According to National Family Health Survey-5, maximum revenue of Rs 31,517,40 crore is received from Uttar Pradesh.
• Karnataka: Karnataka ranks second among the states that consume the most alcohol. The revenue from liquor here is Rs 20,950 crore. In cities like Bengaluru, high demand for liquor and strong distribution system took it to the second position. According to NFHS data, 0.9 percent women and 16.5 percent men drink alcohol in Karnataka.

  BREAKING: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Thiru C. Joseph Vijay orders the closure of 717 liquor retail outlets located within 500 meters of places of worship, educational institutions and bus stands within two weeks, citing public welfare. pic.twitter.com/mXnYN7jn3k

  — Actor Vijay Team (@ActorVijayTeam) May 12, 2026

• Maharashtra: The large urban population of Mumbai, Pune and Nashik are the major reasons for the consumption of both premium and mass-market alcohol. Despite the increase in the prices of liquor here, the demand did not decrease. According to NFHS data, about 0.4 percent women and 13.9 percent men drink alcohol in the state.
• Madhya Pradesh: Madhya Pradesh is at fourth place in terms of alcohol consumption. The demand for liquor is very high in the rural areas here. Revenue of Rs 11,873.70 crore is generated from widespread and high sale of liquor. According to NFHS data, 1 per cent of women and 17 per cent of men in the state drink alcohol.

Promise of Anti Drug Protection Zone

Tamil Nadu CM Vijay had promised to create entry drug protection zone during the election campaign. Keeping the same promise in mind, orders were given to close liquor shops located at a distance of 500 meters from schools, religious places and bus stands.

Ankit Gupta

Born in Lucknow, the city of Nawabs. Graduated from DAV College and MBA from Punjab Technical University. The desire to write and the passion to know the story beyond the news brought me into journalism. Started his career in 2008 with Lucknow's first Hindi tabloid 'Lucknow Lead'.

Tried my hand in the features section. Then he joined Dainik Jagran's iNext from Gorakhpur, the city of Baba Gorakhnath. Joined the Jaipur head office of Rajasthan Patrika in 2013 for reporting on city news and health magazine. After spending about 5 years here, I reached Dainik Bhaskar's Bhopal head office in 2018 for a new start in the digital world. Got hold on research, explainer, data story and infographic. The most complex news of health and science explained in simple words. In 2021, after saying goodbye to Dainik Bhaskar, I joined the digital wing of TV9 Group. Currently, while working in TV9, I am heading the 'Knowledge' section as an Assistant News Editor. There is a focus and interest on explainer, data and research stories. Read More