THE Estimates Committee's recent report on the Commerce Ministry relating to the Tobacco Board has brought out a number of shortcomings in the working of the Board and recommended certain remedial steps. The Tobacco Board was set up by the government on January 1, 1976, under the Tobacco Board Act, 1975, replacing the erstwhile Tobacco Expo:t Promotion Coun-cil, Madras. The principal functions of the Board are to streamline and co-ordinate pro duction, marketing and exports of tobacco. It has been entrusted with the task of regulating the production and curing of Virginia tobacco in nine with export and domestic demand, to monitor overseas markets, to develop new markets and to en-sure a fair and remunerative price to growers