The Hindu : Karnataka News : Police urged to stop single-digit lotteries

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Police urged to stop single-digit lotteries

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELGAUM, JAN. 3. The Minister for Small Savings and Science and Technology, Basavaraj Horatti, has asked the police and other authorities concerned to end the menace of single- and double-digit lotteries in a month.

Addressing presspersons here on Monday, he said that despite the ban, these lotteries are being run clandestinely operations in cities and towns. He has requested the Home Ministry and the Director General and Inspector General of Police, S.N. Borkar, to help end the menace in a month.

Mr. Horatti confirmed reports of illegal printing of lottery tickets of other States in some cities and towns in Karnataka, including Bangalore, Mandya and Hubli. He said he has asked the police to take steps to nab the people involved. The Minister said the net revenue to the Government from sales of lottery tickets through Mysore Sales International Ltd. has increased from Rs. 18 lakhs to Rs. 24 lakhs a day after the ban was imposed on single- and double- digit lotteries. This was roughly 20 per cent of the total sales.

Collection

The Department of Small Savings has collected 95 per cent of the target collection of Rs. 2,600 crores for the current financial year. However, it has decided to mobilise an additional Rs. 400 crores by March-end. In Belgaum district, 63 per cent of the target collection of Rs. 420 crores has been achieved. Mr. Horatti said the Government has issued an order to mobilise Rs. 28 crores in addition to the targets for the financial year. On the Government's commitment to pay 3 per cent cash incentive to people who have deposited more than Rs. 25,000 in small savings schemes, he said he recently directed the department to make payments to all of them.

`Irregularities'

He alleged there are irregularities, and some officials disbursed the incentive after collecting a commission. He said the department has released commission for two years to agents.

The commission for the remaining two years period will be released.

Mr. Horatti said he will try to take the developments in science and technology to the rural people.

Horatti favours quality training for students — Page 6

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