Govt will follow rules on online lottery: Kamat

Govt will follow rules on online lottery: Kamat
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JULY 21
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Wednesday assured the House that the Government will strictly follow all procedures for online lottery as Opposition highlighted flaws in the operation of the same.
Raising a question, Canacona MLA, Vijay Pai Khot enquired about variable conditions applied by the Government in selecting a bidder for the online lottery. The online lottery was launched on May 10, 2010 and it is being operated by M/s Sugal & Damani Enterprises Pvt Ltd.
Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar pointed out that Public Ledger Account (PLA) has not yet been opened even as the lottery is in operation for the last two months. He further said, as per the regulation, the notification about lottery scheme has to be published in advance – before the lottery is launched.
The Government should follow regulations otherwise the Centre will terminate online lottery, he warned the Government.
Kamat, however, clarified that the Government has taken utmost care while selecting the bidder and, the lottery was launched in order to earn sizable revenue.
The bidder was selected on inviting Expression of Interest and the Government had received two bids, he said on the floor of the House.
The selected bidder is to pay Rs 12 crore per annum and .25 per cent of that amount if turnover crossed Rs 1000 crore. The Opposition members pointed out the second bidder was unfairly rejected while chief minister maintained that some of the conditions were not fulfilled by him.
The chief minister assured the House that Government would take all precautions for online lottery.