The Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2014: Committee on Subordinate Legislation (2015-16)
A Parliamentary panel has recommended framing an "equitable and pragmatic" National Tobacco Control Policy so various organs of government can work in tandem and tobacco production can be brought under a regulatory regime. The committee feels that there is an urgent need for framing a 'National Tobacco Control Policy' with well defined objectives and goals so that all the organs of the government as well as other stakeholders function in tandem with each other in achieving the overall objectives under National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), the committee said. It said there was a need to bring the entire tobacco production in the country under some kind of regulatory regime so that the objectives under the NTCP can be achieved in a meaningful manner. The Committee on Subordinate Legislation on Cigarette and other Tobacco Products (packaging and labelling) amendment (COTPA) rules 2014, recently tabled its report in the Lok Sabha. The committee strongly recommended that the National Tobacco Control Policy should be "equitable, pragmatic and implementable" and in line with the Indian scenario taking into account various factors like tobacco consumption pattern, agricultural employment, export potential and revenue generation.