Tobacco Board chief asked to go on leave after farmer suicide

Amid reports of tobacco farmers committing suicides, the Commerce Ministry has asked Tobacco Board Chairman K Gopal to go on leave with immediate effect.
The ministry is taking immediate steps to put a senior officer in additional charge as the Chairman of Tobacco Board.
The decision came a day after Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a review meeting amid reports of "debt-ridden" tobacco farmers committing suicides in the country, the ministry said in a statement today.
The ministry said it has asked Tobacco Board Chairman K Gopal to go on leave, as his visit to Italy amid reports of debt-ridden tobacco farmers committing suicide shows "lack of sensitivity".

"The Commerce & Industry Minister took cognizance of the absence of Chairman, Tobacco Board and his visit to Italy in the midst of this crisis which shows lack of sensitivity to the farmers' issues.
"The Chairman, Tobacco Board has been asked to proceed on leave with immediate effect as of 15th September, 2015 until further orders," the statement said.

The Department of Commerce is taking immediate steps to put a senior officer in additional charge as the Chairman of Tobacco Board, the statement added.
Sitharaman also reviewed that out of 172 million kg of Tobacco in Andhra Pradesh till September 14, 2015, 142.6 million kg have been lifted by the trade.

The minister has directed Tobacco Board to take immediate steps for facilitating the disposal of balance quantity of 30 million kg by the end of September, 2015, the ministry said.