Bengaluru, Feb 4, DHNS: State Planning Board Deputy Chairman C M Ibrahim said on Tuesday he had recommended reintroduction of lottery in Karnataka to fund a proposed healthcare scheme for poor and middle-class families.

Ibrahim, a close aide of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, said the board wanted to ensure that even middle-class families were provided with healthcare up to Rs 5 lakh.

A lottery ticket would be priced at Rs 10. “The estimated cost for the health scheme is Rs 500 crore a year. This could be raised by selling lottery tickets. The Mysore Sales International Limited has been asked to study the ways and means of implementing the lottery scheme,” he said.

The proposed scheme, to be called “Anna Karunya Scheme”, would be on the lines of Kerala’s “Karunya Benevolent Fund.”

When reporters asked whether it would be wise to bring back lottery, which had been banned in the interest of the people, Ibrahim said: “The intention is good. It is not proper to seek donation. This can’t be considered gambling. Anyhow, it is left to the government to take the final decision.”

Interestingly, all forms of lottery were banned by Siddaramaiah when he was the deputy chief minister in the Dharam Singh government in 2004.

The ban was imposed due to the menace of single-digit lottery, which had directly affected the labour class and lower-middle class, who were found spending their hard-earned money on lottery tickets.

Ibrahim also said the board had recommended introduction of “Anna idli scheme” where the poor and middle class could get highly subsidised food through government canteens.

This would be on the lines of Tamil Nadu’s subsidised food sold under the banner of “Amma canteens.” The canteens would sell “idli,” “chitranna,” ”puliyogare” and “curd rice” at Rs 5 per plate.

Ibrahim said first the scheme would be introduced in Bengaluru and later extended to Mysuru, Hubballi, Mangaluru and Kalaburgi. About Rs 50 crore would be required for the scheme.