Shimla, Mar 27 (PTI) In view of the state’s financial situation, the Himachal Pradesh government is considering reintroducing lottery within the state to create new sources of revenue generation, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh said during the Budget session of Assembly on Friday.
In a written reply to a query by BJP legislators Rakesh Jamwal and Sudhir Sharma, Sukhu said that Goods and Service Tax (GST) is levied on lottery ticket sales at a rate of approximately 40 per cent of the ticket’s face value.
The state is suffering a loss not only in the revenue derived from levying GST but also due to the illicit sale of lottery tickets from other states within its territory, the reply said.
A positive outcome of the lottery business is its potential to generate employment alongside revenues, and therefore, a proposal to reintroduce the lottery in Himachal Pradesh is currently under the government’s consideration, Sukhu said.
Lotteries are being operated smoothly in other states such as Kerala, Punjab, Maharashtra, Goa and Arunachal Pradesh, with no major adverse social effects, he said.
The lottery system was discontinued in Himachal Pradesh via a notification issued by the finance department on February 28, 2004.
The department, however, no longer possesses records of the specific reasons that led to its discontinuation.
Before the ban, lotteries involving fewer than three digits were prevalent in the state. However, in light of the adverse social effects associated with such schemes, the Centre, in compliance with Supreme Court directives, has since amended the relevant regulations.
Consequently, single-digit or double-digit lotteries can no longer be operated, reducing the likelihood of the adverse effects associated with the previous system.
A new Cabinet sub-committee constituted for the purpose of reintroducing the lottery was established in Himachal, pursuant to a policy decision taken by the Cabinet on February 17, 2026, the chief minister said.
The sub-committee was set up to examine the draft of the proposed Himachal Pradesh Lottery Rules, 2026, and other related matters, and to scrutinise the associated tender documents.
Following recommendations of the sub-committee, on March 7, the Cabinet approved the draft rules, along with the tender documents, Sukhu said. PTI BPL ARI
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