The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP). The main objective of the programme is to build the capacity of the states/districts to facilitate effective implementation of the Tobacco Control Laws and to bring about greater awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco. The total financial outlay for the programme in the XI Plan is Rs 182 crore.
At the national level, the main components of the proposed programme include public awareness/media campaigns for awareness building and for behavioural change; establishment of tobacco product testing laboratories, to build regulatory capacity, as required under COTPA, 2003; mainstreaming the programme components as a part of the health delivery mechanism under the NRHM framework; mainstreaming Research & training – on alternate crops and livelihoods with other nodal Ministries; and monitoring and evaluation including surveillance e.g. Adult Tobacco Survey (ATS).
At the state level, the programme envisages dedicated tobacco control cells for effective implementation and monitoring of Anti Tobacco Initiatives. And at the district level, the programme includes training of health and social workers, NGOs, school teachers etc; local IEC activities; and provision of tobacco cessation facilities (iv) School Programme
The implementation of the NTCP will increase the awareness of the community about the harmful effects of the tobacco use, make the public aware of the provisions under COTPA, establish tobacco product testing labs and also provide baseline estimates of tobacco prevalence and status of implementation of the Tobacco Control Law.
The components of the NTCP at the National level covers the entire country while the pilot phase will focus on 42 districts of 21 States. The NCTP will be implemented in the remaining years of the XI Plan in 42 Districts of 21 States within the NHRM framework from 2010-11. State Governments will work out State/Districts specific Plans, in their Programme Implementation Plans S (PIPs), depending on their priority. These would include training, sensitization workshop etc on awareness building and implementation of the law. The funds for tobacco product testing labs will be released in a phased manner, so that the labs are set up by 2010-11. The initial recurring expenditure for thee labs will be met up to three years. The Adult Tobacco Survey (ATS) will be completed in April 2010 and the evaluation of pilot phase of NTCP currently under implementation in 42 districts of 21 States will also be taken up in 2010-11.