Should tobacco cultivation be banned in India?
Should tobacco cultivation be banned in India?
Recently Health Minister Mr. Harshvardhan has highlighted the fact that quite smoking drive does not harm tobacco cultivating farmers as viable alternatives are available and they can switch to another crop. Owing to the harmful effects of tobacco cultivation a large section of civil society and concerned citizens have urged government to completely ban tobacco cultivation in the country. Should banning of tobacco cultivation a viable option?
Yes:
-Health Burden on society as well as economy is increasing continuously. The estimated burden in 2011 amounted to a whopping Rs. 1, 04,500 crores in the age group of 35-69.
-Large proportion of profit from tobacco production is taken by multinational companies rather than farmers, who are still surviving on low income.
-Resources and land used for tobacco cultivation can be alternatively used in food grain production.
-Owing to the harm of tobacco cultivation to environment, developed countries have almost stopped its cultivation. India should follow the same course of action.
-Problem of child labour in tobacco cultivation is also prevalent throughout the world. So, banning tobacco cultivation will help in curbing the menace of child labour.
No:
-India is a leading exporter in tobacco and ample scope is there for India to emerge as the world leader.
-Due to high tax rates on tobacco products, government is earning a lot of revenue through sales of these products.
-Banning means farmers involved in tobacco cultivation will get unemployed. Also, labours indulge in manufacturing of tobacco products will lose their livelihood.
-Only licensed farmers can cultivate tobacco. Banning it would promote illegal cultivation, smuggling of tobacco products and generation of black money.
Conclusion:
This debate has been going on for a long time and both sides have arguments to justify their stand. Nobody can deny the fact that health related problems are rising due to tobacco, but before banning it farmers and laborers should be provided with viable alternatives for livelihood. In the meantime, government can launch awareness drive and further increase taxes on tobacco products to decrease their quantity of consumption.
Discussion
- RE: Should tobacco cultivation be banned in India? -Ayush sharrma (10/14/14)
- yes, tobacco cultivation should be banned in india because it harms the country more than it pays revenue to government. also if some says about the livelihood of tobacco cultivators then there is a option of get sticking to another farming option .and people should understand that they had many more things to eat and chew rather than tobacco
- RE: Should tobacco cultivation be banned in India? -Deepa Kaushik (10/13/14)
- Banning tobacco cultivation is a good step to check the increasing environmental and health hazards. But looking through the same in broader perspective, this ban is going to add on to the unemployment issue, decrease the revenue for the government and cause a set-back to the farmers and their families involved in the cultivation of tobacco.
When we analyse the status in depth, the farmers could be well accomodated with the cultivation of some other crops, provided the government helps the farmers with the required seeding and other materials for cultivation well un advance before imposing the ban. Precisely, the shift of cultivation from tobacco to some other food material should not impact the farmers economically.
Next coming on to the unemployment concern which would affect massively the labours involved in manufacturing and processing of tobacco products; again it becomes the responsibility of the government to provide a livelihood before closing down their present mode of earning their living.
Lastly counting on the revenue that the government earns by tobacco export. Practically thinking, every transformation comes with a cost added to it. To gain the health of the citizens and free our country of the environmental pollution caused due to these tobacco cultivation, we need to bear the financial burden of not only reemployment and providing aid to farmers, but also compromise on the revenue. Government can smartly think of utilising the land used for tobacco cultivation for either cultivating or manufacturing equally potent products to be exported and generate better revenue for the country and its development.
Considering all the possibilities and their rectifying approach, it seems to be a better deal to ban tobacco cultivation, even if we need to comprise on our revenue. The expense of reinstating farmers and labourers would be a one time investment rather than expense in actual words. Hence, we can take the stake of banning tobacco cultivation for a healthy future India
