In India, bidi industry's clout trumps health initiatives

By Murali Krishnan and Shantanu Guha Ray

Bidi makers in India adopt Big Tobacco tactics to avoid reforms on smoking and excise taxes

Excerpts from this story referencing "Maharashtra":

"… s the $5 billion CeeJay Group, the largest bidi maker in India’s western Maharashtra state. The company also has interest in pharmaceuticals and financial serv …"

"… political juice intact.“He is powerful and legislators in his home state Maharashtra owe blind allegiance to him,” said a federal legislator who is close to …"

"… s an estimated 50,000 women across eight states.On paper, for example, the Maharashtra state government has only 19 registered bidi companies but industry analys …"

"… product’s great cost to Indian society.Praful Patel –the bidi boss in Maharashtra state – once promoted bidi as the best employment option for women."If t …"

India

By Sheetal Doshi

India's central HIV/AIDS agency, there have been 124,995 officially reported cases of AIDS from 1986 to August 2006

Excerpts from this story referencing "Maharashtra":

"… tates, along with the southern state of Karnataka and the western state of Maharashtra, which together make up 30 percent of India's population, account for abou …"

"… AIDS Prevention and Control Project in Tamil Nadu and the Avert Society in Maharashtra.The U.S. has provided technical assistance through the Centers for Disease …"