Modernisation
The Department of State Lotteries has undergone vast changes during the year from 2007 to 2010.The Government have permitted the Director of State Lotteries to undertake the modernization and revamping of the department vide GO (MS) No. 124/07/TD dated 15.5.2007. Accordingly as part of the decentralization of powers, the Director is empowered with more powers in the matter of launching of new lotteries, revision of prize structures, publicity and propaganda etc. The District Lottery Officers are empowered to honour prize claims up to Rs. 1 lakh, Deputy Director (Prize) up to Rs. 20 lakhs and Director above 20 lakhs.
In order to mobilize more revenue, besides the six Bumper lotteries, the number of weekly lotteries has risen to 6 and two biweekly lotteries are launched . A new lottery offering gold coins as prizes and the restructured Chaithanya lottery by name Chaithanya Car Plus attract special attention.
As part of dispensing with the system of counterfoil, bar coding is adopted in all tickets.
The registered agents are at present utilizing the benefit of purchase of tickets on bank guarantee. The minimum amount of bank guarantee is Rs. 50,000 and maximum Rs. 1 crore.
In order to develop agency networking, agency fees is reduced to Rs. 200, and agency renewal fees to Rs.50. The fee for casual agency is fixed at Rs.50
The second phase of computerisation has been completed and the functioning of the department is purely through online with the 512 Kbps broadband of BSNL coupled with the Web Based Lottery Information Management System (LIMS) developed by Keltron. This has been made functional from Feb 2008 onwards.
Vide GO (Rt) No. 1244/08/TD dated 26.12.2008, the Government have accorded sanction to implement hardware augmentation for LIMS. Accordingly, additional hardware were supplied to all offices including the Directorate. To erradicate the continuous degradation of the online system, implementation of hardware and software enhancement is underway.
As part of the modernisation and revamping of the department, the Govt have accorded sanction to carry out the modification of the Directorate, Regional Deputy Directorate and District Lottery Offices. Accordingly the modification works of the District Lottery Office was taken up during 2009. The modification works including power wiring and LAN wiring of the Directorate was entrusted with the Public Works Department. The modification works of the Regioanl Deputy Directorate and District Lottery Office Eranakulam, District Lottery Office Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikkode, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Thrissur, Kannur and Kasaragod was entrusted with SIDCO. LAN wiring works have been executed by Keltron in these offices, power wiring at Regional Office was performed by the PWD and the same at the District Lottery Offices by SIDCO. All the works have been completed by the agencies and the offices are furnctioning at the modified space with new look and facilities.