New Delhi: In a bid to discourage people from consuming tobacco products, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has written to all the chief ministers to consider raising the VAT on tobacco-made products to 50 per cent.
He has asked the state governments to frame a tax policy making tobacco products less affordable over the time.
The latest move comes after the Health Minister had written to the Finance Ministry seeking to increase the taxes on cigarettes in June. Dr Harsh Vardhan had urged Arun Jaitley to increase the price of cigarette by Rs 3.5 per stick irrespective of its length.
Vardhan has been championing the cause of preventive health care, arguing that a robust preventive mechanism would result in much fewer people turning up at hospitals. He has also been vigorously advocating against the use of tobacco products.
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