Amarinder writes to Modi for national policy
Tuesday, 01/07/2014
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
I DO NOT HAVE MUCH FAITH IN THE PUNJAB GOVERNMENT AS IT HAS BEEN SITTING ON THIS MATTER FOR A LONG TIME FOR REASONS BEST KNOWN TO THE CM CAPT AMARINDER SINGH, Cong MP
CHANDIGARH: Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Capt Amarinder Singh has drawn Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attention towards formulating a National Drug Policy which would comprehensively address drug addiction across the country in general and Punjab in particular, where the problem is assuming dangerous propositions.
In a letter to the PM, Amarinder said, “Without a coordinated effort by various states under the Centre’s guidance, it is not possible to eradicate this problem that is eating into the vitals of our younger generation.”
Expressing lack of faith in the Punjab government, he said, “I do not have much faith in, and any expectations from the Punjab government as it has been sitting on this matter for a long time for reasons best known to the chief minister. The situation has now reached a stage that, according to some surveys, 70% of the youths in Punjab have tried drugs once in a while, and many of them have fallen prey to its addiction.”
Amarinder stated that during his tenure as CM, he had repeatedly and regularly during the chief ministers’ conferences which Modi attended as the Gujarat CM strongly argued for formulating a National Drug Policy. “But unfortunately even after the passage of more than a decade, nothing has been done so far,” he said. “Today, drug addiction has mostly afflicted my state, Punjab. Tomorrow, it may spread across the country and it will be difficult to curb it if and when it assumes epidemic proportions,” he warned.
