New Delhi, Sept 16 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Trivedi has said that India is committed to bring down tobacco production as per the provisions of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Speaking at the inaugural session of first meeting of the Working Group under Articles 17-18 of the WHO-FCTC, Trivedi said that apart from focusing on health dimensions of the tobacco consumption, there is a need for concentrating on alternative livelihood for the millions of farmers and cottage industry workers who are engaged in tobacco related activities.

" Tobacco lobby has used these two stake holders to stall many serious steps to curb the tobacco menace in the country", he said.

He outlined various initiatives of the Government of India to control tobacco consumption, which kills about nine lakh people every year in the country.

"India has enacted comprehensive legislations to curb smoking. In order to provide economically viable activity to various stake holders, the Ministry is collaborating with the Central Tobacco Research Institute and the Directorate of Agricultural Research and Extension to establish viable, sustainable, alternatives to tobacco crops," he said

"The Ministry is also in touch with Ministries of Labour and Finance to develop skills based vocational training for bidi rollers," he added.

He further said internationally also India is one of the pioneers in signing the FCTC and containing sustained collaboration with the WHO and other international organizations. (ANI)