SEEDS flays Nitish govt’s decision to roll back tax on Khaini

Patna,(BiharTimes): The Socio-Economic and Educational Development Society (SEEDS) has expressed disappointment over the state government’s move to roll back tax on “khaini” (tobacco) in Bihar.

A few days back Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met a delegation of tobacco growers of the state and gave an assurance to them for roll back on tax on khaini (tobacco). 

In a Press statement SEEDS Executive Director Deepak Mishra and its Regional Director,Bihar, B N Patnaik, said that tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of death. It kills nearly 54 lakhs people globally and more than 12 lakhs in India every year. 

The statement said tobacco is responsible for one in 10 pre matured deaths among adults in India• Fifty-four per cent (the highest in country) adults (66% men and 40% women) are using tobacco in some form or other in Bihar. 

It said nearly 15% of the young children in the age group of 13-15 use tobacco in Bihar. In all 27.4% boys and 8.3% girls in the age group of 15-24 use tobacco in the state. 

In India more than 5,500 children start using tobacco every day and become lifelong users. Twenty-two per cent of global cancer deaths, 71% of all lung cancer deaths, 10% of cardiovascular disease related deaths is caused due to tobacco use. 

According to Mishra there is high public health costs for treating tobacco related diseases and added that khaini is the most used form of tobacco in Bihar. 

He appealed to the Chief Minister to give a second thought on the decision and think about the Generation Next of the state.

The statement said that this decision of the government may hamper the pace of the Tobacco Control Programme in the state.