BJD Lok Sabha member from Kendrapara Baijyant Jay Panda has planned to introduce a Private Members’ Bill in the ongoing session of Parliament seeking plain packaging of tobacco products in India.
Mr Panda has written to Union minister of health and family welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad urging his intervention in this important policy initiative.
Plain packaging legislation seeks to remove extraneous colours, embossing and misleading elements on tobacco packs, thus eliminating the “badge value” of all forms of tobacco product packaging.
Brand and product names can be used in a standardised, prescribed style, font and colour. The Bill is likely to be introduced on November 30.