Adhunik hails proposed budget

Adhunik (We Prevent Smoking) hailed the proposed budget for fiscal year (FY), 2014-15, for suggesting imposition of 1.0 per cent health development surcharge on all imported and domestically produced tobacco products and  use of fund collected from this source on the treatment of the victims of tobacco-related diseases, reports UNB.

Adhunik welcomed the proposed budget in a joint statement signed by its president Amanullah Khan and secretary general AI Islam.

They were, however, disappointed that the overall proposed increases in tax rates fell far short of those suggested by anti-tobacco organisations and WHO which recommended at least 70 per cent to 200 percent tax.

They feared that these marginal increases would not have any real impact on either curbing tobacco consumption or raising the revenue from it.

The prices of tobacco and tobacco products would still remain too low compared to those of other countries, they pointed out.

It was also shocking that many lawmakers were appealing to the finance minister for the protection of bidi industry which together with tobacco industry is responsible for ruining the health of a major section of population and for the deaths of 60,000 people every year in the country, the Adhunik leaders said.

Adhunik also strongly recommended raising the tax further to levels that would deter tobacco use.