Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday assured Union Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi of a detailed inquiry into the growing menace of dog fights, coupled with betting related to the same, in the state.The assurance came during a meeting with the Union Minister, who called on Captain Amarinder here.Maneka expressed concern over reports that dogs were being pushed from across the border to promote dog fights and encourage illegal activities such as betting. The Chief Minister promised a thorough probe in the matter and assured Maneka that his government would not allow such Punjab’s soil to be used for such activities.During the meeting, the issue of stray dogs in Punjab was also discussed, with the Chief Minister seeking the Union Ministry’s support in dealing with it. Responding to his concern, Maneka suggesting setting up of Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) units across the state to curb the menace. She also suggested dog sterilization under the Animal Birth Control programme to control the spread of stray dogs.
The Chief Minister also drew the attention of the Union Minister towards the state’s budget demands from the Ministry of Women and Child Development to enable the implementation of various schemes for the benefit of women and children.Seeking early release of the funds for effective implementation of the schemes, the Chief Minister put the state’s requirement for Anganwadi Services under Umbrella ICDS Scheme at Rs. 14192.96 lakh, besides Rs. 716.40 lakh for Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE), Rs. 784.53 lakh for Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMY) and Rs. 1783.55 lakh for Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS).Captain Amarinder also sought allocation of funds from the Union Ministry from the Nirbhaya Fund to boost the safety and security of women in the state. He cited the objective of the Fund, which is expected to support initiatives by the government and NGOs working towards protecting the dignity and ensuring safety of women across the country. Assuring all possible support Meneka suggested that the state government should immediately send her concrete proposals for the same.Maneka suggested establishment of one-stop Sakhi centres in all districts of the state to support and help victims of sexual assault. These centres provide medical legal, psychological and counselling facilities under a single roof, round the clock, for women affected by any form of violence.Captain Amarinder asserted that his government was committed to the uplift of women and children and would continue to initiate welfare programmes for them.