Himachal lottery plan sparks political row, Jai Ram Thakur opposes move

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Jai Ram Thakur opposes lottery revival, while Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan says regulated system aims to curb illegal betting and generate revenue.

Shimla , August 27

Political controversy has erupted in Himachal Pradesh over the state government’s decision to restart lottery operations from Diwali, with Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur accusing the Congress government of risking the future of youth for financial gains.

Thakur said lotteries had ruined many families in the state in the past, with some people even being forced to sell their land due to addiction. He said the previous BJP government had stopped lotteries for the same reason.

Comparing lottery addiction with drug abuse, Thakur said once a person became addicted to lotteries, it was difficult to quit and could ultimately lead to financial ruin.

He accused the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government of using the state’s financial crisis as an excuse to restart lotteries for its own benefit. Thakur demanded that the decision be withdrawn immediately and said the company awarded the lottery tender could become a subject of investigation in the future.

Meanwhile, Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan defended the government’s decision, saying single-line or single-digit lotteries would not be introduced in the state.

Chauhan said the government plans to introduce a legal and regulated lottery system under a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), with the objective of discouraging people from illegal gambling and betting.

He said the government was studying the lottery models followed by states such as Kerala and Punjab and had set a target of generating around Rs 100 crore annually in revenue.

According to Chauhan, the legal, administrative and financial aspects of the proposal have been examined and an SOP has been prepared. The file has now been sent to the Finance Department for approval.

The implementation of the scheme will depend on the Finance Department’s approval, while its impact on the state’s revenue and concerns raised by the Opposition remain to be seen.