Amid reports of West Bengal losing millions of dollars in international aid due to its chief minister's smoking habit, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday "issued fresh advice to him to kick the butt".
"I have already requested him (Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya) to quit smoking and I do so again," Ramdoss told reporters in New Delhi.
He said the health ministry has sent letters to all the state governments asking them to enforce the smoke-free work places ban from October 2.
"The West Bengal chief minister has done a marvelous job as far as getting investments to the state is concerned and has worked hard to make the state better in all respects," he said.
West Bengal has the highest number of smokers -- 71 per cent of men smoke in the state.
According to reports, the CM's smoking habit have made the state lose out to millions of dollars in international aid.
In the last six months, the Bloomberg Initiative To Reduce Tobacco Use had rejected the application for aid to West Bengal many times.
