CM sets up advisory board for drug de-addiction, rehab

Shimla: Chief minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday announced the constitution of a state-level advisory board for de-addiction and rehabilitation. The initiative, to be headed by the CM, aims at streamlining the activities of various line departments on substance abuse to ensure an integrated approach towards drug menace. The CM also declared the ‘Centre of Excellence of Mental Health’ at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, as the state-level nodal institution for de-addiction and rehabilitation. He said opioid substitution therapy centre would be established at all medical colleges and district hospitals of the state. Besides this, the ‘School Health Mission’ would be implemented in the state in collaboration with the departments of education and health, he added.The CM, while addressing one-day-long state-level workshop on ‘Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition and De-addiction’, said the state govt would prepare an action plan for addressing the nutritional concerns of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating mothers and children up to the age of six years, besides working on drug abuse prevention, de-addiction and rehabilitation. Sukhu also directed the social justice and empowerment department to formulate a mechanism to ensure the well being of expectant women and their new born up to the age of one year. The first 1,000 days of new born babies are critical, therefore, their health is the priority for the state govt, he said, adding that the govt was also contemplating to delegate powers for the procurement of nutritional supplements, ensuring good quality of food items being provided to the eligible pregnant women and lactating mothers. Sukhu directed the officers to formulate the standard operating procedure on this issue. The CM said the state govt had initiated a crackdown on drug mafia in the state and many of the culprits had been nabbed and their properties had been seized.

State-level Khel Mahakumbh medalists to get 4% job reservation in state

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched a series of initiatives to bolster sports in the state. Medal winners of the Khel Mahakumbh will now get a 4% reservation in government jobs. A new sports development fund, scholarships for young athletes, and sports kits for district-level players were also announced.

Belagavi girl wins gold at state-level shooting competition

Manjiri T Jibi, a student of St. Joseph's High School (Belagavi), clinched gold in the 10m shooting competition at the Karnataka State School Education Department's sports meet in Bengaluru. Scoring an impressive 355/400, she earned a spot in the national-level meet scheduled for December 19-24 in Indore.

Eagle unit to combat drug menace in state

Andhra Pradesh launched a specialized police unit, 'Eagle,' to combat the escalating drug problem. Headed by a high-ranking officer, this 459-strong team will tackle drug trafficking and abuse statewide. Deployed officers will receive special allowances and undergo training. The government also proposed establishing special courts to expedite drug-related cases, signifying a strong commitment to curbing the narcotics menace.

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