Punjab Government has decided to give higher grants to the Panchayats of ‘drug-free’ villages, besides launching a ‘special anti-drugs drive’ to make the people aware about the adverse impact of drugs.
Sikander Singh Maluka, Rural Development and Panchayat Minister said that the panchayats of drug-free villages would be developed as a modern village and honoured by the State Government.
The Minister said that he had already issued the directions to the officers of his department to identify the villages completely free from drugs and to prepare the lists of such villages.
“The department would arrange a special programme to specially honour the Panchayats of such villages at Chandigarh headquarters to motivate the rest of villages against drugs. The department would also initiate a campaign in villages having maximum cases of drug usage and efforts would be initiated to curb the trend of drugs in such villages,” he said.
Maluka said large population of Punjab has been residing in the rural areas and it is need of the hour to work for complete elimination of drugs from these rural belts.
He said that to achieve this target the department has chalked out a special programme against this social evil and it was decided to initiate the special anti drug drive throughout the State, which would be implemented soon.
He said under this drive the Panchayat Department in collaboration with Panchayat Members would hold seminars to make aware the people against drugs. He exhorted the Panchayat in Punjab to motivate the young generation towards sports.