In a significant move aimed at checking the entry of drug addicts in the state government services, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today gave his nod for making the clearance of 'Dope Test' mandatory during the recruitment process in all departments of the state government. A decision to this effect was taken by the Chief Minister, while presiding over a high level meeting to review the arrangements for Drug de-addiction and Rehabilitation of drug addicts in the state, here at CMO, this morning.Taking part in deliberations, the Chief Minister said that the necessary amendments must be made in the existing rules to incorporate necessary provisions in them for ensuring that any person selected for the government service must clear the 'Dope Test' during his Medical test. He said that if the report of 'Dope Test' of any aspirant was found negative then he/ she must be debarred from joining the government service. Mr. Badal said that this would not only encourage the youth to shun away the menace of drugs but it would also ensure that Healthy officers/ officials join the service in the future. "This is the need of the hour so as to combat the menace of drugs in a more effective manner" he added.
Dwelling on another issue, the Chief Minister also asked the pisional Commissioners present in the meeting to personally visit the Drug de-addiction centers falling in their jurisdiction to have first hand information about the working of these centers. He said that effective monitoring of these centers was very important so that drug addicts could be imparted quality treatment and diagnostic facilities. Mr. Badal asked the officers to ensure that rather than being a mere formality these meetings should be result oriented.The Chief Minister also asked the officers to appoint a Nodal Officer to monitor the day-to-day functioning of these centers besides maintaining proper record for this. He said that this officer must compile the weekly report regarding the working of these centers and submit it to the officers of the state government at Chandigarh. Dwelling on another issue, the Chief Minister also asked the officers of the state government to explore the feasibility of maintaining a centralized database of the all the drug de-addiction centers so as to check the misuse of medicines by the drug addicts. He said that the Drug addicts undergoing treatment at these centers must be issued identity proofs so as to ensure that they could not avail the medical treatment from more than one center.
The Chief Minister also asked his Technical Advisor Lieutenant General (Retd.) BS Dhaliwal to negotiate the terms and conditions with the NBCC to construct the Rehabilitation Centers at the earliest so that drug addicts could be brought back into the mainstream.During the meeting the Chief Minister was apprised that 50 bedded Drug de-addiction centers at Patiala, Jalandhar and Bathinda would be made operational by the end of this year. Likewise, he was also informed that the process of recruiting the staff from Drug de-addiction centers across the state would be completed by end of this month. Mr. Badal was also informed that that the Drug de-addiction drive was getting a positive response from the people as OPD in the drug de-addiction centers across the state have crossed two lakh.
Taking part in deliberations Dr. Ajit Awasthi hailed the Chief Minister for taking unprecedented steps to check Drug addiction in the state. He said that due to the personal initiatives of Mr. Badal the state government has been able to channelize its resources well in time to check the curse of drugs. Dr. Awasthi even said that the massive infra structure roped in by the state government was many times more than the other states and even the western countries that were confronting the same problem.Prominent amongst those present in the meeting included Cabinet Ministers Mr. Parminder Singh Dhindsa and Mr. Surjit Kumar Jiyani, Technical Advisor to Chief Minister Lieutenant General (Retd.) BS Dhaliwal, Chief Secretary Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary Health Mrs. Vinnie Mahajan, Secretary Home Mr. Jagpal Singh Sandhu, Special Principal Secretaries to Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema and Dr. S Karunaraju, Principal Secretary Jails Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Commissioners of Jalandhar, Patiala and Ferozepur pisions Mr. R Venkatratnam, Mr. Ajit Singh Pannu and Mr. VK Sharma respectively, Special Secretary Health Mr. Vikas Garg, Director Health Dr. Ramanjeet Singh and Chief Architect Ms. Swapna.