New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) Reaffirming the Central government’s fight against tobacco and nicotine addiction, Union Health and Family Welfare Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava on Friday launched the pilot version of the Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) Application.

The Health Secretary said that the ToFEI app is a digital initiative aimed at strengthening implementation and monitoring of tobacco-free norms across schools and colleges in the country.

Speaking at an event to mark World No Tobacco Day 2026, Srivastava said that the ToFEI app is a digital initiative aimed at strengthening implementation and monitoring of tobacco-free norms across schools and colleges in the country.

Srivastava stated that this year’s theme for World No Tobacco Day, “Unmasking the Appeal – Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction”, is especially relevant in the context of protecting young people and future generations from the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine addiction.

The national event was organised under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), said a statement.

Srivastava said the app is designed to facilitate self-assessment and reporting by educational institutions and monitoring of compliance with ToFEI guidelines.

It will help implementation of tobacco control signage requirements; prohibition of sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions; awareness and sensitisation activities for students and teachers; and strengthening enforcement of tobacco-free campus measures, she said.

The digital platform is expected to support states/UTs, educational institutions, and programme officials through standardised monitoring, reporting, and compliance assessment mechanisms, thereby enhancing accountability and promoting healthier, tobacco-free environments for children and adolescents, said the statement.

The pilot implementation of the application in three states — Rajasthan, Meghalaya, and Maharashtra — will help assess operational feasibility, strengthen implementation and reporting mechanisms, and inform future scale-up of the platform across the country, it said.

On the occasion, the Ministry also released the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Sample Collection of Tobacco Products, aimed at strengthening surveillance, regulatory compliance and quality assurance related to tobacco products.

The SOP provides standardised procedures for collection, handling, storage, transportation and documentation of tobacco product samples to ensure consistency and reliability in testing processes, said the statement.

She stated that strengthening regulatory and enforcement mechanisms is a critical component of tobacco control efforts.

The Secretary said that scientific sample collection, proper testing procedures and maintenance of the integrity of the entire chain are essential for ensuring effective enforcement and regulatory action.

The SOP, she noted, will help standardise procedures and support states and implementing agencies in strengthening compliance and enforcement efforts.

–IANS

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