Kavitha urges PM not to implement GO 727

New Delhi: TRS MP K Kavitha here on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene on behalf of the beedi workers and direct the authorities not to implement the GO on the pictorial warning to be printed on beedi packets that comes into force from April 1.

Speaking to the media here on Thursday, she said all the MPs of Telangana together had urged the government to reduce the size of the picture from the proposed 80 per cent to 50 per cent in the past. But even this 50 per cent picture size would be too much on a conical beedi pack.

Hence, it would adversely affect the beedi business. The GO 727 would come into force from April 1. As large number of people, particularly women, were dependent on the industry, it would be better if the beedi industry was totally exempted from the same provision.

The warning could be continued on cigarette packets, she added. At least eight lakh women were dependent on the industry in Telangana alone and it would not be possible to provide alternate employment to all of them, she said.

There were 50 lakh people dependent on the industry in the entire country, she pointed out. Hence all MPs irrespective of the parties and States must come forward to pressurise the government in this regard, she suggested.