Shimla
The Himachal Pradesh government is preparing to restart state-run lotteries after nearly 25 years to shore up its finances.
The move is expected to generate ₹75–100 crore annually for the state exchequer.
The government has constituted a Cabinet sub-committee under Industries Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan to frame rules and ensure transparent operations. Ministers Anirudh Singh and Rajesh Dharmani are members of the panel, which has been asked to submit its report and tender documents within a month.
Based on the panel’s recommendations, a Bill on lottery operations may be introduced in the upcoming Budget Session of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly starting March 18. Lottery sales will begin only after the House grants approval.
The lottery system was banned in 1999 by the government led by Prem Kumar Dhumal over concerns about its social impact, particularly on youth.
With the state’s debt reportedly crossing ₹1.04 lakh crore, the government headed by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is banking on the lottery revival as a key revenue-generating measure.
