A 2017-18 audit report of the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac), which has the sole liquor vending rights in the State, has found various discrepancies including non-provision of bills, collection of licence fees for certain bars even though a tender process is yet to be finalised, a need for follow-up on cash misappropriation and cash theft among others.
The report is a part of the Annual Report of Tasmac tabled in the Assembly on Monday. The audit found that the internal control systems of the company were not commensurate with the size of the company and the nature of its business.
“The major reason for this qualified opinion is that the sales are not billed as and when they take place in the retail shops as is observed by us in the test checks, resulting in the possibility of delayed accounting of sales,” the report said. “The billing machines provided in the retail shops are either not in a working condition or not used as found in the test checks,” it said.
Tasmac said it had been giving instructions with respect to sale of goods and raising of bills regularly to senior regional managers, district managers and depot managers.
“This is being verified by the internal auditors of wholesale division and retail vending division, special flying squads under Deputy Collectors and surprise inspection team,” Tasmac said.
Yet to finalise tenders
The audit team brought to the attention of the Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise that the company was yet to finalise tenders for certain bars for which licence fees had been collected. “Also cases were observed where bar licences have been given but they are yet to operate,” it said.
