Penalty on excess and unauthorised tobacco waived

The Union government has waived the penalty on tobacco cultivated in excess of the quota allocated to registered growers as well on unauthorised tobacco cultivated by unregistered tobacco growers in Karnataka. While BJP MP Lahar Singh Siroya took to X and said that the Government of India had extended crucial support to Karnataka’s 70,000 flue-cured Virginia tobacco farmers affected by heavy rains by allowing the sale of excess and unauthorised tobacco at Tobacco Board’s auctions without additional charges, Mysuru MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar too welcomed the government’s decision and said it was a major relief for tobacco growers and traders. “I am grateful that our continuous efforts — meetings with Piyush Goyal ji, engagements with the Tobacco Board, and interactions with farmers — helped bring about this quick turnaround,” said Mr. Yaduveer on X. Janata Dal leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy too thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal for stepping in and supporting Karnataka’s tobacco farmers. “The Union government had responded positively to a memorandum submitted by Nikhil Kumaraswamy, State President of JD Youth Wing, urging support for Karnataka’s distressed tobacco farmers,” said a statement from JD.