In a major move to engage the community in its fight against drugs, the Punjab Government has decided to engage two lakh youth volunteers to create awareness amongst the masses, especially students, about the perils of drugs addiction.
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal has issued the directions in this regard to the State Youth Services department. The student volunteers will also partner with the NGOs as well as health and police officials who are already engaged in carrying out a massive drug de-addiction programme across 141 community health centers in the State.
“The Youth Welfare Department had started the process of enlisting volunteers for this drive and urged the youth to respond enthusiastically to this initiative,” said an official spokesperson.He said that Deputy Chief Minister had also directed the Youth Services department to take the help of existing youth clubs and encourage formation of new youth clubs so that this volunteer force could be spread out all over the State.
“These youth clubs will be strengthened further with the State Government deciding to provide sports kits to all registered youth and sports clubs in the State during current financial year. The State had already distributed 6,940 multi-gyms and 23,553 sports kits worth Rs 47 crore in last fiscal,” he added.
Spokesperson said that the enrollment drive, which would continue till December this year, would also involve training student leaders so that they could effectively disseminate information about drug addiction as well as help in weaning away youth addicted to drugs.
Youth Services department has also chalked out a programme to take this drive to universities and colleges across the State by holding seminars, youth festivals as well as youth meetings to create awareness about drugs.A separate monitoring cell is also being created in the Youth Services department to monitor the progress of the drive and suggest new measures to make it successful.
Meanwhile, spokesperson disclosed that presently there are 6,200 registered youth or sports clubs in the State and it had been decided to constitute 1,800 more such clubs.These clubs regularly hold youth leadership training camps besides adventure and trekking expeditions and also inter State tours for nearly 10,000 youth every year.
Besides, the spokesperson said that construction of Yuva Bhawan at Sector 42, Chandigarh, would be completed till December 15 at a cost of Rs 24 crore which would be useful for students coming from all parts of Punjab for various academic and youth activities. This establishment also includes a Centre for Youth Excellence, a seminar hall and an intensive training cell for students.