Shimla, March 28 -- In view of the state's financial situation, the Himachal government is considering reintroducing lottery to create new sources of revenue and employment generation, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh said on Friday. In a written reply to question raised by BJP legislators Rakesh Jamwal and Sudhir Sharma, he said that the Goods and Service Tax (GST) is levied on lottery ticket sales at a rate of approximately 40% of the ticket's face value. The state is suffering a loss not only in the revenue derived from levying GST but also due to the illicit sale of lotteries from other states within its territory. The state noted that a positive outcome of the lottery business is its potential to generate employment opportunities alongside state revenue. Therefore, a proposal to reintroduce the lottery in the State is currently under the government's consideration. The lottery system in Himachal was discontinued via a notification issued by the finance department of the Government of Himachal Pradesh on February 28, 2004. At that time, lotteries involving fewer than three digits were prevalent. However, in light of the adverse social effects associated with such schemes, the Centre-following the lead of the state government and in compliance with directives from the Supreme Court had since amended the relevant regulations. Consequently, single-digit or double-digit lotteries can no longer be operated; therefore, the likelihood of encountering the adverse effects associated with the previous system is now negligible. A new cabinet sub-committee constituted for the purpose of reintroducing the lottery was established pursuant to a policy decision taken by the Cabinet on February 17, 2026. The panel was constituted to examine the draft of the proposed Himachal Pradesh Lottery Rules, 2026, as well as other related matters, and to scrutinize the associated tender documents. He said that the draft of the Himachal Pradesh Lottery Rules, 2026, along with the tender documents, was approved on March 7, only after receiving the recommendations of the cabinet sub-committee....