Minister declares 50 villages drug-free in Nawanshahr

Tribune News Service
Nawanshahr, August 16

Industry and Trade Minister Sunder Sham Arora hoisted the Tricolour at a district-level function organised at ITI Stadium here to mark the 73rd Independence Day yesterday.

Addressing the gathering, the minister said efforts were being put in by the state government to make Punjab a drug-free state. He said as many as 50 villages of Nawanshahr district were declared ‘drug-free villages’.

He lauded the efforts of the Deputy Commissioner and the SSP for mobilising village panchayats and youth to come forward to wipe out the stigma of drug addiction.

While extending greetings for the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the minister said with initiatives of the state government, the long-cherished dream of devotees of opening of the Kartarpur Corridor had been taking a concrete shape.

Students from various schools presented a patriotic and cultural programme.

He also honoured personalities who have excelled in different fields and handed over as many as 20 sewing machines, 10 tricycles and a wheelchair to the needy.

Earlier, Arora visited the Khatkar Kalan Museum to pay tributes to Shaheed Bhagat Singh, who sacrificed his life at the prime of his youth to free the country from the yoke of British imperialism.

Later, the minister dedicated the first block of the District Administrative Complex (DAC), inaugurated Government Primary School, Ramraipur, and began the Fish Feed Mill project at Danduha village.

“The setting up of the DAC is one of the noblest initiative of the state government to provide hassle-free delivery of public utility services related to various departments under one roof to residents of Nawanshahr,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Vinay Bublani said almost 80 per cent of the construction works of the SSP Wing of the DAC had been completed. Offices of different departments would be shifted to the DAC’s first block within a month. It would make the access of the public easy to different utility services. As many as 20 departments to be accommodated in the first block.

The Minister asked the authorities concerned to complete the remaining work of the SSP wing within three months. Later, the Minister while inaugurating Government Primary School, Ramraipur, announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the school.

MLA Angad Singh lauded the efforts of schoolteachers, NGOs, local and NRI philanthropists for extending wholehearted cooperation to the ‘Sikhiya Sudhar Muhim’, currently underway in the state. So far, as many as 3,700 schools have been converted into smart schools.

DEO (EE), Satinderbir Singh said as many as 125 primary schools had been converted into smart schools in the district and 50 more schools would be made smart shortly.