Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, September 26: Giving a further boost to the government’s anti-drugs campaign, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh today constituted a steering committee to monitor and coordinate with all the concerned departments to implement the drug de-addiction and rehabilitation programme in a mission mode.
The decision to set up the committee, headed by the Chief Secretar, was taken by the Chief Minister at a meeting of State Board of Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation at Punjab Bhawan this evening.
An official spokesperson said the Chief Minister has directed the steering committee to meet frequently to streamline and stringently implement the programme in a time-bound manner. The committee has been asked to thrash out issues related to drug de-addiction and rehabilitation.
It was decided that Principal Secretary Health & Family Welfare, ADGP Special Task Force, Additional Chief Secretary Higher Education, Secretary Welfare, Secretary School Education would be the members of the committee.
Captain Amarinder Singh also asked the Principal Secretary Health & Family Welfare to depute dedicated officers in all the districts rather than posting them at headquarters to implement the drug de-addiction programme in right earnest at the grassroot level. He directed that Panchayats be involved, along with NGOs, as well as social, voluntary and religious organizations to take the drugs awareness and rehabilitation programme forward.
The Chief Minister also instructed the concerned departments to launch a vigorous Print and Electronic media campaign to create awareness about the drugs menace, while directing skill training initiatives for the rehabilitation of youth successfully weaned away from drugs.
Captain Amarinder was of the opinion that the Special Task Force (STF) and Health Department should work in tandem for the detoxification and rehabilitation of the drug addicts so as to enable them to lead a normal life with dignity. He also underlined the need for implementing a post rehabilitation phase for the victims of drug addiction, with utmost care and caution.
Expressing concern over the stigma attached to the youth who had once been addicted to drugs, the Chief Minister directed that skill training modules be prepared in consultation with the departments of Technical Education & Industrial Training and Skill Development, to facilitate gainful employment of such youngsters.
The Chief Minister also impressed upon the Secretary School Education and Additional Chief Secretary Higher Education to sensitize students across schools, colleges and universities about the dreadful effects of drugs. Proper psychological counselling should be ensured in educational institutions, he added.
Health & Family Welfare Minister Brahm Mohindra told the meeting that positive results of the drug de-addiction campaign were visible but there was need to further synergize the efforts between the Health and Police departments to take this war against drugs to its logical conclusion.
Taking part in the deliberations, the Chief Secretary said that the drug de-addiction campaign could only be successful by enforcing the four elements of enforcement, drug de-addiction & rehabilitation, skill & employment, and treatment of the reformed youth with utmost care and respect.
A brief presentation was made by the Health & Family Welfare department to apprise the Chief Minister about the various initiatives taken so far for drug de-addiction and rehabilitation.
