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Govt aims to ban sale of tobacco to teenagers

Tarashankar Sahay in New Delhi

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved the introduction of Tobacco Products Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation Bill 2000 that bans sale of tobacco products to persons below 18 years and forbids them from smoking in public places.

According to Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Pramod Mahajan who briefed the press on the meeting, "It is estimated that all over the world more than three million people die of tobacco related diseases every year and out of which one third (i.e. one million) die in India alone.

Mahajan said that research has shown that the life of smokers is 7.5 years less than non -smokers. For providing medical treatment to the smokers, Rs 135.17 billion are spent in Indian alone which is much more than the combine production and sales of tobacco in the country.

Mahajan said that 55 countries have enacted legislation which wants the smokers and tells him about the evil of tobacco smoking.

Twenty-five countries have imposed a compulsory ban.

The Cabinet also approved Haj pilgrims by wet lease from Compuchun Airlines and also participation of Saudi Arabian Airlines.

72,000 Haj pilgrims will be going to Saudi Arabia.

The cost of Haj per passenger is Rs 22,666. Out of which Rs 12,000 will be paid by the pilgrims while the government will give subsidy of Rs 16,666.

There would be eight uplift points for the pilgrims: Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Cochin, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Ahmedabad.

The hub would be from Jammu city and Srinagar also.

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