'Common platform for tobacco growers needed'

MP Vishwanath appeals to his counterparts in Andhra to join in

He was speaking at a programme organised by the Tobacco Institute of India (TII) to distribute awards for the growers from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, in the city.

Vishwanath said that he would meet fellow parliamentarians from AP in the national capital on Monday (September 5). “Lets’ make it a national issue akin to Telangana and fight for the same from a common platform,” Vishwanath appealed.

Prior to this, the MP disclosed that a meeting of tobacco growers has been organised on Sunday  (September 4) at the auditorium attached to Agriculture Marketing Training Centre on Hunsur road at 11 am.

TII director Udayan Lall who preceded Vishwanath said the policy makers have to take note of proliferating illegal cigarettes manufacturing industry.

The industry has grown up to 16 pc against eight per cent between 2007 and 2009. It is causing a huge loss to the exchequer, calculated at nearly 2,000 cror per annum.

Besides, it has its cascading effect on the livelihood of others who have been eking out a living. He also wanted the policy makers to rein in tax evasion through clandestine methods.

Giving statistics of tobacco consumption, the officer said when compared to other countries where most of the tobacco is consumed in the form of cigarette, it  accounts for 15 pc in India. The remaining comprises beedis, gutka etc., Quoting a report of global adult tobacco survey, he said of the 37.4 pc tobacco consumers, 29 pc are non-cigarette.

A total of 38 million people are dependent on the crop and both the States and central chest collect revenue to the tune of Rs 16,000 crore per annum including excise duty and state taxes, he added.

Chamarajanagar MP R Dhruvanarayan, MLAs H P Manjunath and M Chikkanna, MLC C H Vijayashankar, tobacco board chairman Kamala Vardhana Rao, director for auctions, Mysore,  Manju Pillai and others were present.