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Steady growth in income from lotteries in Punjab

CHANDIGARH: With the Punjab Government earning Rs.168 crore from lotteries during the past five years, the State Lotteries Department is targeting a revenue of Rs.175 crore by the end of the current financial year.

“The revenue from the sale of lotteries has already touched the mark of Rs.98 crore by now and the department is targeting a total revenue of Rs.175 crore by the end of the current fiscal,” said an official of the Punjab Lotteries Department.

According to data provided by the department, the income from lotteries has been growing consistently over the years. The State Lotteries Department earned revenue totalling Rs.68.36 crore in 2002-03, which grew to Rs.168.70 crore in 2006-07. The rise was a whopping 147 per cent.

Among three types of lotteries being run in the State, weekly lotteries have been contributing the maximum in sales.

“The department is selling about Rs.9.60 crore of weekly lotteries per day,” said an official spokesman.

In an effort to push up the sale of lotteries in the State, the Lotteries Department has tied up with the Postal Department whereby all the post offices in Punjab would sell Diwali Bumper lotteries from next year against a commission of Rs.20 per ticket.

“This initiative would certainly help in increasing the sale of lotteries in the State,” asserted the spokesman.

The sale from Bumper lottery like New Year bumper, Rakhi bumper, Diwali etc (which carries prize money of Rs.2 crore) has also shot up this year astronomically.

“During Diwali bumper-2007, we sold 14.81 lakh of lotteries which was highest ever since the launch of bumper lottery,” said an official, while adding, “on an average we sell about eight lakh bumper lotteries per draw.”

Similarly, the sale from the monthly lotteries (which carries prize money of Rs. 25 lakh) has also been at almost seven lakh per draw, he said. — PTI

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