Government revenue from alcohol All countries realize significant revenue from alcohol production and sale, constituting

between 4 and 10 per cent of government revenue, especially in large countries. In some states of India, alcohol revenue can be as high as 23 per cent of the state government's income. Governments are often dependent on the huge tax revenue collected from the liquor industry. In India, one of the reasons for lifting prohibition in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Haryana was the declining revenues to the state governments and their inability to meet expenses. The paradox of high revenue collected from the liquor industry versus the harm caused by alcohol is a sensitive issue for government to address The financial implications of alcoholism in Karnataka, India In 1998, the state of Karnataka recovered Rs 581.5 crores through taxation on alcohol and Rs.18.09 crores as individual health payment. It spent Rs. 1 147.48 crores in direct hospital costs to treat illnesses related to alcohol. Thus, even the direct cost of alcoholism outweighs the revenue from alcohol. In addition, there is a huge indirect cost due to adverse effects of alcohol which can be many times the direct cost. http://www.searo.who.int/LinkFiles/Facts_and_Figures_ch4.pdf

CURRENT PRACTICE OF SURROGATE Ads

Despite the ban on surrogate advertsing we see that such practice has not completely stopped. Recently we witnessed such advertisements on the Delhi Metro.

Responding to a letter issued by an anti-tobacco advocacy group on depiction of indirect tobacco advertisements at various metro stations, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has said such advertisements are everywhere and the rules cannot be different for the metro.

We do not permit advertisements of tobacco and alcohol products within metro premises, but the letter sent to us was in regard to surrogate advertising, said Delhi Metro's Chief Public Relations Officer Anuj Dayal. The Delhi Metro follows the Government of India rules that are permitted by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. If these advertisements are permitted everywhere else, why should it be different for the metro? However, a formal response has not yet been issued to the Delhi-based advocacy group, HRIDAY (Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth).

More than a week ago, the NGO in its letter to Delhi Metro Managing Director Mangu Singh had asked that surrogate advertisements of tobacco products be taken off the metro premises as they were in violation of the Cigarettes & Other Tobacco Products Act (2003) that prohibits any form of direct or indirect advertising of tobacco products. Indirect/surrogate advertisements of tobacco productshave been displayed at many prominent and most busy metro stations like Rajiv Chowk, Kashmere Gate and Central Secretariat etc. Feeder buses have also been seen painted completely with tobacco advertisements around several Delhi Metro stations, the letter added.

The letter also stated that in a recent assessment by the NGO it was found that most products advertised as pan masala without tobacco either do not exist in the market or are supplied in meagre quantities. This substantiated the fact that the tobacco industry intends to market their tobacco products in the guise of advertising the pan masala without tobacco, states the letter.

HRIDAY Manager-Legal Amit Yadav said that when commuters on the Delhi Metro see these advertisements they instantly think of tobacco products even if they may be advertisements for pan masala . When every Delhiite thinks of the Delhi Metro as an ideal institution, and it is known for its excellent services, the Metro should uphold the responsibility and take down these advertisements as a form of social obligation, said Mr. Yadav.

The NGO took up the cause and issued its letter after receiving several calls and messages from Delhi Metro commuters. Harsh Raizada (27) was one of those who called in to complain about such advertisements. Fifteen days back I called HRIDAY regarding the advertisements that I saw during my commute, said Harsh, a regular commuter. But what was funny is that these ads were near public service messages issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare warning people against tobacco use.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/artic3499339.ece