On November 14, 2019 the Tobacco Board of India was awarded the 2019 Golden Leaf Award at the Tab Expo 2019 event in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The tobacco board was awarded under ‘Most Impressive Public Service Initiative category for the year 2019’ for initiating various sustainability (green) initiatives in Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco cultivation in India. The award received by Executive Director of Tobacco Board, K. Sunitha. 
Previous Golden leaf award in 2014: The Tobacco Board of India previously won the golden leaf award in 2014 under ‘Most Impressive Public Service Initiative category’ for implementation of an electronic auction system, that has made the tobacco marketing system transparent and accountable.
Key Points:
i.The golden leaf award: The award created in 2006 by Tobacco Reporter, an international magazine, is given to a company/institution which has introduced public service programmes and has achieved outstanding performance in 5 categories.
- Recognition of the award: The aim of the award is to recognize professional excellence and dedication in the tobacco industry.
ii.Initiatives created by the tobacco board: Some of the initiatives for which the tobacco board was awarded are given below
- Initiatives for production of organic tobacco, introduction of 365-days green cover in tobacco cultivation.
- Promoting advanced technologies- Green Tech nurseries, elimination of Non-Tobacco Related Material (NTRM).
- Educating and guiding farmers on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) etc.
iii.Facts on tobacco production in India:
- India is the world’s fourth largest producer of FCV tobacco.
- Tobacco Board has supplied 6,50,000 saplings through the forest department to the tobacco farmers for greenery development in tobacco producing areas.
About Tobacco Board:
Functions- Regulating Virginia tobacco productions in India, facilitating the sale of tobacco through e-auctions on the auction floors of the Board etc.
Ministry responsible- Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Act- Tobacco Board Act of 1975.
Chairman- Shri Raghunadha Babu Yadlapati.
Headquarters- Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
