THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Lotteries has reported its highest-ever sales turnover of Rs 774.11 crore in the first nine months of the 2011-12 fiscal despite encountering severe adversities posed by illegal lottery traders.With three months remaining, the figure has already crossed the total turnover of the previous fiscal, Rs 557.69 crore.This gains significance as the past year witnessed the department shifting its focus from major agents to small and medium-level traders.“We also launched a new commission slab favouring the small traders,” said Lotteries Department Director Biju Prabhakar.The new commission slab was a big success with the number of agents directly purchasing tickets from the department increasing from around 500 to 4,500 a day.“The department’s measures against illegal traders and major agents who monopolised the market helped the poor and handicapped who earn a living through lottery sales,” said Purushothama Bharathi, president of the Kerala Lottery Agents’ Association.In February, the department refused to renew the agency of a major trader who collected advance money from the public through a suspicious scheme. The year also saw the department showing the door to a leading agent who worked hand in glove with the online lottery mafia.“The marketing initiatives, including advertisements in print and electronic media also helped boost the sales,” Prabhakar said.In the previous years, the department had rarely utilised the advertisement budget. “Last year, the department effectively spent it which is three percent of the total sales,” Prabhakar said.The department now rolls out seven weekly lotteries, namely Pratheeksha, Dhanasree, Win-Win, Akshaya, Bhagyanidhi, Karunya and Pournami. Six bumper lotteries are also held in a year.Karunya Lottery, announced by Finance Minister K M Mani in his first budget, was well received by the public. The profit from the sales of Karunya is intended to help poor patients suffering from ailments like cancer and kidney diseases.“Karunya even attracted those who were not in the habit of trying their luck. The government is working out the modalities for the effective disbursement of the fund,” the director said.
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