Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu yesterday said the government has ordered crackdown on drug mafia in the state.
The police have launched extensive campaign against drug traffickers in recent months, confiscating assets worth Rs 11 crore.
The state government has implemented the PIT-NDPS Act, enabling the detention of habitual offenders in drug trafficking to safeguard public interest.
While addressing a public rally in Nurpur Assembly constituency of Kangra district, he said the previous BJP government left a debt of Rs 75,000 crore along with pending liabilities of Rs 10,000 crore for employees.
Despite this, the current government is striving to deliver quality services to the people through systemic reforms. He criticised the BJP for failing to mobilise resources and for opposing the reforms that the people of the state support wholeheartedly.
The current government has taken loans amounting to Rs 28,000 crore over the past two years of which Rs 18,000 crore was spent on repaying old debts and interest.
Despite financial challenges, the government generated an additional revenue of Rs 2,200 crore last year and expects to earn Rs 2,400 crore this year.
He criticised the previous “double-engine government” for lowering the standard of public services and providing subsidies to affluent individuals for electoral gain. The present government is encouraging financially capable people to voluntarily forgo subsidies, he said.
He further said that the current government is equipping major hospitals and medical colleges with advanced technology to provide specialist services locally.
To further enhance healthcare delivery, the government will separate the cadres of the Directorate of Health Services and Medical Colleges.
He announced allocation of Rs 5 crore for Arya Government Degree College Nurpur, Rs 3 crore to operationalise the Mother and Child Hospital, Rs 2 crore for a shopping complex at Wazir Ram Singh Pathania Stadium, Rs 2 crore for road maintenance in Nurpur and Rs 2 crore for the Jasur- Katahal road. He also assured swift initiation of the Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School project in Nurpur and promised to address the town’s parking issues.
Remembering former minister Sat Mahajan, the Chief Minister shared his association with him. He praised former MLA Ajay Mahajan for his dedication to public service.
Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of seven development projects worth Rs 30.85 crore in Nurpur Assembly constituency.
He inaugurated projects worth Rs 13.07 crore, including Dard Nala-Damoh link road and two bridges constructed at a cost of Rs 7.82 and the District Forensic Unit constructed at a cost of Rs 2.05 crore.
Khajjiyan to Haar link road built at a cost of Rs 2.84 crore and new building of the HPSEBL, sub-division, Gunoh, at a cost of Rs 36.66 lakh were also inaugurated by the CM.
He laid the foundation stone of development projects worth Rs 17.78 crore, including the administrative building of the SP office to be constructed at Jachh in Nurpur at a cost of Rs 13.91 crore and the new building of Government Senior Secondary School, Kandwal, to be constructed at a cost of Rs 3 crore.
He also laid the foundation stone of Gareli Khad Bridge to be constructed at a cost of Rs 86.83 lakh.