8Functions of the Board

(1) It shall be the duty of the Board to promote, by such measures as it thinks fit, the development under the control of the Central Government of the tobacco industry.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub-section (1), the measures referred to therein may provide for--

¹[(a) regulating the production and curing of virginia tobacco having regard to the following factors, namely:--

(i) the demand for virginia tobacco in India and abroad;

(ii) the suitability of land for growing virginia tobacco;

(iii) the differences in soil characteristics and agro-climatic factors in different regions of the country where virginia tobacco is grown and the effect thereof on the quality and quantity of virginia tobacco produced in those regions;

(iv) the marketability of different types of virginia tobacco;

(v) the need for rotation of crops; and

(vi) the nature of the holdings of the growers of virginia tobacco whether owned or leased;

(b) keeping a constant watch on the virginia tobacco market, both in India and abroad, and ensuring that the growers get a fair and remunerative price for the same and that there are no wide fluctuations in the prices of the commodity;

(c) maintenance and improvement of existing markets, and development of new markets outside India for Indian virginia tobacco and its products and devising of marketing strategy in consonance with demand for the commodity outside India, including group marketing under limited brand names;

²[(cc) establishment by the Board of auction platforms, with the previous approval of the Central Government, for the sale of virginia tobacco by registered growers or curers, and functioning of the Board as an auctioneer at auction platforms established by or registered with it subject to such conditions as may be specified by the Central Government;]

(d) recommending to Central Government the minimum prices which may be fixed for purposes of export of virginia tobacco with a view to avoiding unhealthy competition amongst the exporters;

(e) regulating in other respects virginia tobacco marketing in India and export of virginia tobacco having due regard to the interests of growers, manufacturers and dealers and the nation;

(f) propagating information useful to the growers, dealers and exporters (including packers) of virginia tobacco and manufacturers of virginia tobacco products and others concerned with virginia tobacco and products thereof;

(g) purchasing virginia tobacco from growers when the same is considered necessary or expedient for protecting the interests of the growers and disposal of the same in India or abroad as and when considered appropriate;

(h) promoting the grading of tobacco at the level of growers;

(i) sponsoring, assisting, co-ordinating or encouraging scientific, technological and economic research for the promotion of tobacco industry;

(j) such other matters as may be prescribed.

(3) Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub-section (1) and subject to priority being given to matters specified in sub-section (2), the measures referred to in sub-section (1) may also provide in relation to tobacco, other than virginia tobacco, for all or any of the matters specified in clauses (c) to (g) of sub-section (2) and for this purpose any reference in those clauses to virginia tobacco shall be construed as including a reference to tobacco other than virginia tobacco.

(4) The Board shall perform its functions under this section in accordance with and subject to such rules as may be made by the Central Government and such rules may in particular make provisions for ensuring that the Board functions in close liaison with Union agencies, institutions and authorities concerned with the tobacco industry (including growing of tobacco) and avoids duplication of effort.