Finance
Odisha has taken the lead in the country’s tobacco-free village effort. The Abhiyan is part of the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 2023. From July to August, the campaign lasted two months.
The Government of India has awarded the State for the initiative. “Awareness programmes are being taken up in the village level for the tobacco-free village. The Centre has appreciated our initiative and awarded us for the reason,” Public Health Director Dr Niranjan Mishra said.
Odisha is the country’s first state to launch a tobacco-free village initiative. The health department had written to the Panchayati Raj department requesting that the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 (COTPA 2003) be implemented in communities through sarpanch.
So far, 54 panchayats have declared themselves tobacco-free. The initiative is being carried out in 114 more gram panchayats across the state. The tobacco-free school movement is gaining traction across the state.
