India's Health Minister Intent on Cutting Leaf Production

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 09/21/2009

India is committed to reducing leaf tobacco production in line with its requirements under the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), according to a New Kerala report quoting the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dinesh Trivedi. Speaking at the first meeting of a working group set up under the FCTC, Trivedi said there was a need to concentrate on finding alternative employment for the millions of farmers and cottage industry workers who were engaged in tobacco related activities. Tobacco interests had used these two stake holders to stall many serious attempts to curb the tobacco menace in the country, he added. Enditem