From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Apr 5: Undeterred by the controversial remarks made by some BJP members of a parliamentary panel suggesting "nil" effects of smoking, Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhanasserted that he was firm in his stand that "tobacco produces death and nothing less than that."

"As a doctor and the former Union Health Minister, I have no doubt in my mind about the statement that tobacco causes death,’’ Dr Vardhan told presspersons on the sidelines of a function at the National Aerospace Laboratories in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Asked about the Opposition parties’ allegations that tobacco lobby was responsible for his ouster from the Health Ministry, the minister said: ``I have already told you my opinion on tobacco. Tobacco causes nothing less than death."

Dr Vardhan, who was earlier Health Minister in the Modi Government, said members of the parliamentary panel should refrain from making comments.

He said that he has instructed Council of Scientific and Industrial Relations (CSIR)-National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) scientists to bring out a white paper to re-orient its research activities and to develop cost-effective technology to realise "Make in India" programme.

The minister visited the NAL campus here on Sunday and said: ``Research activities should be connected to the people and help in alleviating poverty. Otherwise, research is meaningless."

There was a need to develop people-friendly technologies to address problems in day-to-day life. Technology should also address the problem of unemployment, he said.

The CSIR-NAL should bring out white paper on its future strategy and focus.

"CSIR-NAL is uniquely poised to underpin Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to raise the percentage of domestic procurement from 40 to 70 in the next five years,’’ Dr Vardhan said.