Question : TOBACCO BOARD H

(a) whether constitution of the Tobacco Board envisages overall development of the tobacco sector;

(b) if so, whether the Board has been able to ensure better remunerative prices to tobacco growers;

(c) if so, the details thereof in respect of the prices made available during the last three years and the current year;

(d) whether the Tobacco Board has been reconstituted time and again by the Government;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the criteria adopted for selection of the members of Tobacco Board?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI ANAND SHARMA)

(a) to (f): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (f) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 265 FOR ANSWER ON 29TH NOVEMBER 2010 REGARDING “TOBACCO BOARD”

(a) Yes Madam. As per section 8(1) of the Tobacco Board Act 1975, it shall be the duty of the Board to promote, by such measures as it thinks fit, the development under the control of the Central Government, of the tobacco industry. Further, section 2(a) provides for regulating the production and curing of Virginia Tobacco.

(b) Yes Madam, the Tobacco Board has been ensuring remunerative prices to the tobacco growers through its established auction platforms by generating competitive bidding among traders.

(c) The average prices realized for Flue Cured Virginia tobacco for the last 3 years and the current year are as follows:

Crop season	Qty. marketed	Average price (Rs./kg.)	(Million kgs.)

2007-08	252.98	75.91

2008-09	317.94	105.66

2009-10	323.25	91.09

2010-11()	23.72	94.97
Auction sales are in progress in Karnataka. Information is as on 22.11.2010.
Auctions in Andhra Pradesh will commence during February, 2011.

(d-e) Yes Madam. The Tobacco Board has been reconstituted 7 times in last three years.

(f) The Members of the Tobacco Board are appointed as per the Tobacco Board Act, 1975 from the various
categories viz. 1 Chairman, 3 Members of Parliament, 10 Government Officials representing various Central
and State Governments, 2 ex-officio members and 10 Non-officials members from amongst the tobacco growers,
tobacco dealers and exporters (including packers) of tobacco and tobacco products, manufactures of tobacco
products and from amongst persons who, in the opinion of the Central Government are experts in tobacco
marketing or agricultural economics.