CM Siddaramaiah to tobacco users: Stop chewing into our resources

The state government is spending Rs 983 crore annually  for treating tobacco related diseases and this has become  a huge burden on the  exchequer, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Releasing a report on Economic Burden of Tobacco Related Diseases in Karnataka,  the CM said the figure pertained to 2011, for those aged 35-69, of which 73% was direct medical costs and 27%  indirect morbidity costs.

There is a need to create awareness about use of tobacco. The economic cost of four specific diseases Cardio vascular disease, cancer, tuberculosis and respiratory diseases amounted to Rs 315 crore.

The report pointed that the economic cost for all diseases due to tobacco use is higher in males, except for cancer where the economic cost in females due to smokeless tobacco was higher, he pointed out.

When asked if the government was planning to ban tobacco cultivation, which was high in his home district, Mysore, Mr Siddaramaiah said  the government was considering the proposal.

“A lot of farmers depend on this crop. First, we have to develop alternative crop for this region and then, we have to talk to the farmers,'' he added.

Meanwhile, a committee headed by Mr Nanjaiah Mutt on bifurcating large gram panchayats and upgrading some large villages submitted a report to the CM.

The report recommended that the Malnad region, which is thinly populated can have a panchayat for a population between 2500 to 5000. In other areas, the panchayats can be divided for population between 5000 to 7000.

Based on its studies, the committee has recommended creation of 439 new Gram Panchayats and recommended upgrading of the villages with population more than 15,000 to town panchayats.