Centre to give top priority to FDI in tobocco: Minister

Hyderabad, May 6 (UNI) Inviting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Tobacco business from various groups, Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh today said the Centre would give top priority in inviting 100 per cent FDIs in tobacco.

Talking to newspersons here, he said ''Tobocco was under negative list. Allowing FDIs in Tobacco sector was still under consideration. We were looking into it very seriously. It will be done only after studying the merits and demerits of the FDIs in the country''.

The minister said we were neither in favour of the ITC nor against it in inviting the FDIs in tobacco business.

Mr Jairam said 50 per cent of tobacco cultivated areas would be turned into the cultivation of medicinal plants and agro forestry in the next ten years in the country.

UNI