Shimla, Dec 20: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday said the state government’s flagship ‘Chitta-free Himachal’ campaign has emerged as a mass movement, with strong public participation bolstering efforts to curb drug abuse.
Addressing the closing ceremony of the two-day Indora Festival in Kangra district, Sukhu said properties worth around Rs 50 crore, allegedly acquired through drug trafficking, have been seized so far. He asserted that the government was committed to confiscating the remaining assets of the drug mafia within the next six months.
The chief minister called upon citizens and gram panchayats to actively support the campaign, stressing that community participation was crucial to protect the younger generation from the menace of drugs. He urged people to remain vigilant in their areas and share information with the police through the emergency helpline 112.
Sukhu said informants would be provided complete confidentiality and rewarded with amounts ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 10 lakh, depending on the credibility of the information.
During his address, the chief minister criticised the Union government’s move to scrap the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and replace it with a new legislation. Describing MGNREGA as the world’s largest employment generation programme, he said it had acted as a lifeline for rural households, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the Himachal Pradesh government would firmly oppose any attempt to dismantle the scheme, calling such a move unjust to the poor and needy.
Lauding the Indora Festival organised on the theme ‘Chitta-free Himachal’, Sukhu announced that it would soon be accorded district-level status.
Highlighting development initiatives, he said Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to provide Minimum Support Price for naturally grown crops such as wheat, maize, turmeric and barley, in addition to milk. He added that strengthening the rural economy remained a priority, with a target of ensuring a minimum monthly family income of Rs 20,000 for farmers.
The chief minister also said the state has made significant progress in the health sector, with Rs 3,000 crore allocated to strengthen healthcare infrastructure.
Before the public meeting, Sukhu interacted with inmates of the Angel Orphanage Home. The programme concluded with cultural performances in the presence of ministers, legislators and other dignitaries.
