India: Tobacco Board Chief Back After Leave

Source from:  The New Indian Express 11/03/2015

GUNTUR: Tobacco Board chairman K Gopal, who went on leave, resumed his office here Monday. With the Union commerce ministry asking him to proceed on leave until further orders, after taking cognizance of his foreign trip in the midst of instances of suicides by tobacco growers in Guntur and Prakasam districts, Gopal went on leave for a period of 45 days.

Meanwhile, the Tobacco Board completed auctions in the state by Monday and procured 190 million kg tobacco at an average price of Rs 93 per kg.

Under the bailout package announced by the Union commerce minister Nirmala Seetharaman to extend Rs 20 per kg of low grade tobacco, the farmers got benefits to the tune of Rs 28 crore.

While the state government's share was Rs 7.5 crore, the remaining was contributed by the Tobacco Board, an official said. Enditem