Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that in order to curb the social malady of drugs and open rehabilitation centers for the addicted youth the government would formulate a concrete policy in coming days.Talking to the media persons here during his thanks giving tour of the Lambi assembly segment the Chief Minister reiterated the commitment of the SAD-BJP alliance government to weed out the menace of drugs from the state adding that elaborate steps were being taken by them to tackle this serious problem. Mr. Badal said that he had convened a meeting on April 22 at Chandigarh for discussing this grave issue so that a policy could be formed for curbing it and rehabilitation centers could be opened for the addicted youth. He said that nationally acclaimed experts would take part in this meeting and after thorough deliberations an effective strategy would be chalked out for curbing this problem. Replying to a query Mr. Badal said that by imposing their policies on the state governments, the Center government was weakening the basic foundations of the Federal system in the country which was not in the interest of the democracy. Lashing out at the Congress led UPA government, the Chief Minister said that the Union government has indirectly encroached upon the rights of state by imposing terms and conditions on grants given to them where as these funds are in fact the taxes collected from the states only. He said that the Union government was indebting the countrymen by exorbitantly hiking the price of petrol at regular intervals but when the state government ask them to roll back the price then the Union government runs away from its responsibility by advising the state governments to reduce VAT on Petroleum prices, which was very unfortunate. Training his guns against the Congress party the Chief Minister said that the countrymen are fed up from the anti-people policies of this party and the debacle of the Congress in recently concluded Municipal Corporation Elections in Delhi is a testimony to it. He said that the trouncing of Congress in Delhi assumes significance because people from all the parts of the Country reside in the national Capital and defeat of Congress in it reflects that people have rejected the policies of this party. Mr. Badal said that during the current regime of the Congress party the social maladies like Unemployment, poverty, inflation and illiteracy have increased manifolds due to which people are annoyed with it. Earlier addressing the gathering the Chief Minister said that in order to facilitate the beneficiaries of pensions under social security scheme the state government would start the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Scheme from the month of June under which every beneficiary would get the pension at his door steps. He said that under this scheme the Bank employees are opening the bank accounts of the beneficiaries by visiting the villages. Likewise, Mr. Badal also said the state government has also formulated a policy to ensure that the economic assistance given to the girls of Economically Weaker Sections on their marriage under the Shagun scheme is delivered ahead of their marriage. He said that according to the new policy if the applications for Shagun Secheme are submitted one month before the date of marriage then the government would give the Shagun ahead of marriage. The Chief Minister also said that the state government has also relaxed the scheme to provide 24 hours power supply to the Dhanis and now even the group of three houses would be provided the line for 24 hours power supply, whereas earlier group of minimum five houses were provided such connection. He said that in order to expedite this work a sum of Rs 70 crore has already being issued to the POWERCOM authorities. During his thanks giving tour of Lambi assembly segment, the Chief Minister addressed the public gatherings at village Dhani Tellian Wali, Tarmala, Rodaanwali, Fatuhi Kheda, Sikhwala, Kakhaanwali, Panjaawa, Badal, Channu, Mahuaana, Deon Kheda, Tapa Kheda and Fateh Manian. At State Institute of Automotive and Driving Skills in village Mahuaana, the Chief Minister also handed appointment letters to 11 youth who have got technical training from this Institute and were selected by a company of Bhutan through placement. Earlier the Chief Minister also launched the website of the institute.
Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included KJS Cheema and Gukirat Kirpal Singh (both Special Principal Secretaries to the Chief Minister, Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Major Bhupinder Singh and Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) Member Jathedar Dayal Singh Kolianwali.