Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Saturday, Jan 08, 2005
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Saturday, Jan 08, 2005 |
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Industry & Economy
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Lottery Kerala to ban sale of lotteries from other States Our Bureau
Thiruvananthapuram , Jan. 7 THE Kerala Government will not allow the sale of other state lotteries within the State. The Finance Minister, Mr Vakkom Purushothaman, told newspersons here on Friday that the Government would enforce Section 4 of the Central Lottery Regulation Act and would even go up to the Supreme Court to see to it that the sale of other state lotteries in Kerala is banned. He pointed out that the Government has taken a firm stand against the on-line lotteries operating in the State. This is in view of the thriving illegal sale as also the social concerns raised by the practice. Many people had committed suicide because of on-line lotteries. He asserted that stern action would be taken against officials who issued tax certificates to certain agents by violating the Government order. The Minister said that personally he is against all kinds of lotteries. However, a total ban is not possible as more than one lakh people, particularly the physically handicapped, are involved in the business. Liquor permit fee: The Government has also decided to restrict the quantity of liquor being transported to Mahe through its territory, the Minister informed. He said the first-stage permit fee for liquor being taken to Mahe would be increased to Rs 25,000 from the existing Rs. 2,500 per load with immediate effect. Also, the permitted quantity would be reduced to 50 per cent of the current level. Mahe, a six-square-kilometre territory surrounded on three sides by Kerala, is selling 3.5 lakh to four lakh litres of liquor a month. It has 65 liquor shops, though the adult population there is only 14,000. In reply to a question whether or not the restrictions would lead to official corruption, the Minister said that the permits would be issued from the Excise Commissioner's office in Thiruvananthapuram only. Besides, the Sales Tax and Excise departments would keep vigil against smuggling of liquor to Mahe. The State has been losing sales tax revenues as travellers and people from the neighbouring areas purchase liquor from Mahe taking advantage of the lower tax there.
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