Amritsar: Sea of humanity converged at the holy city under the leadership of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to take a solemn pledge for making Punjab a drug free state.
“The time has come when you all must come forward and give the final blow to the drugs and carve out a Rangla Punjab”, the Chief Minister called upon the youth present in the function.
Led by the Chief Minister the youth took the vow that true son of soil they will stay away from the menace of drugs and live a healthy life. They also pledged that they will motivate the people around them to stay away from the drugs and contribute in carving out a vibrant and Rangla Punjab.
They said that as a part of the Hope Initiative they will make all out efforts to dedicate their lives to making the land of Gurus, Saints, Seers and Prophets free from drugs. They pledged to extend fulsome support and cooperation to the state government for this noble cause of drive against drugs.
Meanwhile, describing it as a dawn of a new era, the Chief Minister said that the stage is set for wiping out this menace from the state. He said that the time has come when a final push must be given for eliminating the curse of drugs from the state.
Bhagwant Singh Mann said that due to strenuous efforts of the state government the supply line of drugs has already been cut and now the focus is being laid on snapping the demand of drugs for which a massive awareness campaign has been launched.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has adopted a three pronged strategy to counter the drug menace in the state.
He said that as a part of this the sports culture is being promoted in the state to channelize the unbounded energy of youth in a positive manner. Likewise, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that secondly a major thrust on providing jobs to the youth for making them active partners in the socio-economic development of the state.
The Chief Minister said that he very well knows that ‘idle mind is the devil's workshop, so every effort is being made to provide jobs to youth so that they remain occupied in work. He said that every year 2100 posts in Punjab Police are being advertised for regular recruitment in the elite force adding that youth get inspired to work hard and become officers in Police.
Bhagwant Singh Mann said that thirdly the Punjab Police has launched a major crackdown against the drugs in the state and the smugglers are being put behind the bars.
The Chief Minister said that this campaign will be implemented at ground root level to mobilize more and more people. He said that the committees will be formed at the rural and urban level to make the people aware against drug menace. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is the need of hour to make sure that Punjab is made completely drug free.
The Chief Minister envisioned that campaign will act as a catalyst in transforming Punjab completely into a drug free and healthy state. He underscored that the grave problem of drugs can only be overcome with the active support of the general public, which was the basis of this entire campaign.
Citing the examples of success of other such campaigns, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that such movements have been successful just because of the proactive role played by the residents.
Terming that Punjab was bearing the brunt of its war against drugs, the Chief Minister said that the state was a victim irrespective of the fact that not even a single ounce of drug was produced in it.
Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state had suffered earlier as the state fought national war against militancy to protect unity and integrity of the country and now we are being victimized for waging a direct war against drug menace. He said that the state security agencies have cracked down heavily on the drug peddlers by nabbing them thereby cutting the supply line of drugs.
The Chief Minister said that even the properties of the drug peddlers have been confiscated to ensure that people involved in this heinous crime must get exemplary punishment. Besides, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that a network of drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centers had been set up in the state to detoxify the drug addicts on one hand and impart skill training to them on the other so that they could lead their life with dignity and pride.
He further said that as Punjab was on transit route of drug smuggling so the state was fighting the nation's war against drugs adding that on its part the state government was doing its best to stamp out this curse from the state.