Bengal goes back to state lottery after six years

Kolkata: The state govt is planning to revive state-run lottery services, including the now non-existent “Bangalakshmi” scheme, aiming to increase state revenue and introduce greater transparency in lottery operations.

Sources in the administration said the state finance dept has begun preparations to float tenders for operating the lottery services, with the govt aiming to launch the new system from the next financial year. CM Suvendu Adhikari reportedly directed officials to expedite the process.

“The state lottery may be back in a new avatar. The new state govt is planning to reintroduce state lottery soon. It was discontinued in March 2020 after GST slab revisions,” sources said, while adding that the state budget to be tabled in the Assembly on June 22 may include specific proposals in this regard.

For several years, lottery services in the state were operated through distributors who obtained NOCs from agencies based outside Bengal. According to sources, this arrangement led to substantial revenue losses for the state’s exchequer.

During the regime of the Left Front govt, lottery services in the state were managed directly by the finance dept. However, a few years after Trinamool came to office in 2011, the finance dept gradually withdrew from operating the lottery system.

The new administration is now focusing on ensuring transparency and accountability in the process. According to sources, the chief minister instructed senior officials to ensure that unsold tickets are not included in lottery draws, a move aimed at preventing manipulation and restoring public trust in the system.

Now, only the Dear lottery is distributed by a private operator, Santiago Martin. Now the lottery attracts a GST of 40%. Sources close to the development said that the total revenue as GST collection from lottery in the state would be around Rs 5,000 crore, out of which SGST will be Rs 2,500 crore.

In 2009-10, the state govt had earned a revenue of around Rs 2,000 crore from lottery services.