Zee Media Bureau/ Irengbam Jenny
New Delhi: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has written to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday asking him to increase the taxes on cigarette and tobacco-related products.
In the letter written to the Finance Minister, Vardhan strongly proposed that taxes on cigarette and other tobacco-related products be hiked in the Budget 2014.
The Health Minister said that the main purpose of this move was to reduce the consumption of cigarette in the country.
Dr Harsh Vardhan said he was very particular about the issue as he has seen the impact of cigarette on patients he had treated as a doctor.
He further stated that tobacco consumption is a menace and social movement is needed to address and tackle its growing use in India.
