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Himachal assembly winter session: Congress, BJP raise issue of drug abuse
The Himachal assembly unanimously passed a resolution to make all chitta-related cases as non-bailable
Cutting across part lines, leaders from the ruling Congress and the main Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised the issue of drug abuse in Himachal on the third day of the assembly winter session on Thursday. The assembly unanimously passed a resolution to make all chitta-related cases as non-bailable. The resolution also calls for registering cases under murder sections in instances of chitta-related deaths, urging the Union government to amend the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act accordingly.
The resolution, introduced by BJP MLA Sukhram Choudhary and Congress MLA Kuldeep Singh Rathore raised the issue rising drug addiction, particularly among the youth.
Deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that the state government was determined to take stringent actions against NDPS offenders, regardless of their stature. He expressed concern about de-addiction centres becoming hubs for drug sale and announced plans to inspect the 83 private and six government de-addiction centres. He said that a detailed report regarding this would be presented in the budget session.
Agnihotri informed the house the government’s plan to reinforce the anti-narcotics task force by deploying 500 troops to combat drug mafia and emphasised the urgency of the problem, while citing a survey by All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, showing Himachal’s drug abuse average at 3.5%, significantly higher than the national average of 1.2%.
The deputy chief minister said that the police had seized 14 kg contraband in the year and 1,757 persons were arrested. He added that at present, there were 2,901 persons lodged in jails of the state, out of which 1,205 were arrested in chitta cases.
Agnihotri appealed to the MLAs of the ruling party and the Opposition to pledge that they will not shield any accused of chitta. He said that officially, there had been only five deaths due to Chitta in the state so far, although the actual figure is many times higher.
BJP MLA Sukhram Chaudhary accentuated the burgeoning drug trade, particularly near educational institutions, urging strict measures against drug dealers.
HP Tourism Development and Registration (Amendment) Bill passed
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Thursday passed the HP Tourism Development and Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2023, seeking to amend nine sections of the 2002 Act and making registration of all tourism units, including home stays, mandatory.
The Amendment Bill, 2023, was introduced in the assembly by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday.
HPMC slashes commission by 6% for fruit growers
Horticulture minister Jagat Singh Negi said in the assembly on the third day of the winter session that the Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC) has reduced its commission from 15% to 9%.
The minister said that the move is to ensure that the fruit growers in the state get products and equipment at cheaper prices. The decision was taken in a meeting of the HPMC board of directors held on Wednesday. Replying to a question raised by Congress MLA Bhuvneshwar Gaur, he said that the corporation would now purchase equipment directly from manufacturers.
Negi said that from 2018 to 2022, HPMC and Himachal Milk Federation had purchased fruits worth more than ₹240 crore from fruit growers under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS). Out of this, ₹183.81 crore had already been paid to the growers, he said.
“” Payment was made in cash as well as by providing equipment, insecticides and fungicides. Dues of ₹28.73 crore were pending,” the minister added.
Out of this, HPMC has dues of ₹15.87 crore and HIMFED has to pay ₹12.86 crore.
Will ensure enough funds for education, health: Sukhu
Himachal chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the government would ensure enough funds for education and health. While answering supplementary questions from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Vinod Kumar and Congress MLA Chandrashekhar during the question hour, Sukhu said “Atal Adarsh Vidyalayas” were under construction in Dharampur, Kutlahar and Nachan assembly constituencies and would be completed soon. The chief minister added that would hold a meeting with education department officials regarding the management of these schools soon.
While answering a question by Kumar, education minister Rohit Thakur said that 15 locations were selected for these schools under the previous state government. He said that ₹70 crore had been spent on the construction of the schools in Dharampur, Kutlahar and Nachan, and approximately ₹70 crore additional funds were required.
Jal Shakti Dept division in every assembly constituency: Agnihotri
Deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that the state government has formulated to a policy to open a division of the Jal Shakti Department in each assembly constituency of the state.
While answering supplementary questions of leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, and BJP MLAs Pawan Kajal and Randhir Sharma, Agnihotri said that divisional offices of the department will also be opened in Shri Naina Devi and Kangra assembly constituencies.
