Rs 60 lakh spent on advertisement for award: Minister

New Delhi, Aug 11 (UNI) About Rs 60 lakh has been spent on nationwide, multi-media advertisements regarding the conferment of the Luther Terry award on the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, Dr Anbumani Ramadoss today told the Rajya Sabha today.

Replying to a question about the publicity given to an award by ''some vague agency in the US'' for work related to cancer, the Minister said the award was given by the American Cancer Society for his Ministry's ''exemplary leadership in the field of tobacco control''.

In a written reply, he said the Luther Terry award is presented triennially in recognition of the Ministry's achievements in enactment of a comprehensive Tobacco Control Act 2003, prohibition of advertisements on tobacco products and display of pictorial health warnings on all tobacco products.

Dr Ramadoss denied that the Government had applied for the award, saying ''The Government of India has not applied for this award.'' UNI SD AK VA DS1645