Chief Secretary Anurag Verma bats for a multi pronged strategy to break the backbone of drugs in the state

Chandigarh, June 19, 2024: On the directions of the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma on Wednesday batted for a multi-pronged strategy based on principles of coordination and cooperation amongst all the key departments for wiping out the menace of drugs from the state.

Chairing a meeting of the top brass of the Civil and Police administration, the Chief Secretary laid stress on identifying the hotspots of drugs in the state along with taking strict action against the chemists selling banned drugs in the state. He also asked the Health department to enhance the strength of the drug controllers through new recruitment and promotions. Anurag Verma also said that the state government is also mulling to introduce several reforms for ensuring strict punishment to the drug smugglers in the state.

Verma also said that the NDPS act must be zealously implemented and exemplary punishment to the drug peddlers and confiscation of their property must be ensured. He asked the Revenue Department and Police to work in tandem with each other to ensure that every property acquired through drug money is confiscated, adding that the meetings of NCORD must be held at regular intervals both at the state and district levels.

Anurag Verma also underscored the need for channelling the unbounded energy of youth in a positive direction by enhancing sports activities in the state. The Chief Secretary was apprised that the new sports policy stipulated of setting up 1000 new sports nurseries, to cater for villages within a radius of 3-4 kilometres. He also asked the Youth Services department to enhance its activities in the form of trekking, trails, tours and others to inspire the youth for good health adding that the Rural Development and Panchayat department must encourage the Panchayats to take a pledge for drug free villages.

Anurag Verma asked the departments of Higher Education and School Education to motivate and educate the students about the ill effects of drugs and encourage them to live a healthy life adding that anganwari workers and staff must be made a part of an anti-drug mass contact program.

The Meeting was attended by Special Chief Secretary Sports Saravjit Singh, Special Chief Secretary Social Security, Women and Child Development Raji P Srivastwa, DGP Gaurav Yadav, Special DGP Special Task Force Kuldeep Singh, Secretary Health Ajoy Sharma, Secretary Home Gurkirat Kripal Singh, Commissioner Food and Drug Administration Abhinav Trikha, Director General School Education Vinay Bublani, Director Higher Education Amrit Singh, ADGP Intelligence RK Jaiswal, Director SCERT and Director Elementary Education Amaninder Kaur Brar and Additional Director Rural Development Sanjeev Garg.