Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 24: Governor N N Vohra, in a letter to Finance Minister, Haseeb A. Drabu, has urged the latter to increase tax on tobacco products from the present 40 % to atleast 65% to secure a significant decrease in tobacco consumption which is leading to serious diseases and the incidence of cancers in the State.
The Governor has observed that Rajasthan and Punjab have increased taxes on tobacco products to 65% and 55 % respectively and, in J&K, consequent to the increase in the tax from 13.5 % to 40 % on tobacco products, the level of tobacco consumption is reported to have significantly gone down, especially among the youth, besides generating threefold increase in the revenue earned.
In this background, he has called upon the Finance Minister to raise the tax level to 65%.
Meanwhile, Amit Wanchoo, Founder and Chairman, the HN Wanchoo Trust, accompanied by Sanjay Nahar, Founder and President, Sarhad, called on Governor N N Vohra.
The Governor released a booklet “Completing 300 Days of Free Night Ambulance Project” prepared by the HN Wanchoo Trust which brings out details of the services rendered by the Free Ambulance Services in Srinagar, Ganderbal, Budgam, Bandipora and Kupwara districts since the inception of this important voluntary sector initiative.
The HN Trust is providing this service in collaboration with the Sakal Relief Fund and SARHAD- Non Government Organization.
Observing that within 300 days of operationalization of the Free Ambulance Service, it had transported 456 serious and 2000 not so serious patients, the Governor complimented Wanchoo and Nahar and urged them to keep up their philanthropic endeavours. He wished them continuing high success in all their future endeavours.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel