Capt wants Centre to come up with policy to fight drugs

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 20

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to immediately formulate a national drug policy to combat the menace in a holistic manner.

In his address at the 29th Northern Zonal Council meeting chaired by Shah here, Amarinder sought support from the Centre on formulation of a comprehensive drug policy. He pointed out that the first and the foremost challenge before the states was to tackle the menace of drug addiction.

He said the Chief Ministers of the region had met earlier in July this year to come up with a common agenda and resolved to take firm, coordinated action against drug addiction.

Flagging the issue of renaming of the Mohali International Airport after Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh, the CM urged Shah to take the initiative without any delay. He said the step would go a long way in paying tributes to the martyr and iconic revolutionary in a befitting manner besides respecting the sentiments of people of Punjab.

On the river waters issue, he said Punjab did not have surplus water to share and urged the Home Minister to deal with the inter-state water issue separately for its early resolution. He also pointed out that there was growing water crisis in all states with decline in flow of rivers and depletion of groundwater.

Reiterating his long-standing demand, the CM said the originally agreed 60:40 ratio (between Punjab and Haryana) in Chandigarh positions, both in senior ones (IAS/IPS) and junior level, must be respected in letter and spirit. The CM also emphasised the need to review the land allotment rates in the UT which were quite exorbitant as Punjab needed land for various upcoming institutions in Chandigarh.

On the issue of enhancing regional cooperation between the states by evolving a common ecosystem, he emphasised the need for greater rationalisation of tax rates in the post-GST regime across the region, especially on excise and petrol and diesel.

The CM also assured that the state government would provide all due financial support to Panjab University and the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences.

No surplus water to share, CM tells Shah

• Wants Mohali airport’s name after Shaheed Bhagat Singh
• Reiterares Punjab has no surplus water to share
• Seeks resotoration of 60:40 ratio in positions in UT
• Assures to provide financial support to Panjab Univeristy, PGI