Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday said the fight against drugs is much more than a law-and-order challenge. He said drug abuse is tearing families apart and putting the future of young people at risk. He urged people from all sections of society to join hands and turn the campaign against drugs into a mass movement.
The Chief Minister was speaking at the 'Ek Police, Ek Sankalp – Drug-Free Haryana' programme held at the Haryana Police Academy in Madhuban, Karnal. The event brought together Station House Officers (SHOs) from across the state to discuss ways to strengthen the government's anti-drug campaign and prepare a more effective strategy.
Saini also congratulated the 70 students of the Super-100 programme who cleared the NEET examination and secured admission to medical colleges. He said many of them come from modest backgrounds and their success reflects the government's efforts to provide quality education and better opportunities to deserving students.
During the programme, the Chief Minister released the Haryana Police's quarterly magazine, which highlights major achievements of the department. It also features important operations, including the extradition of criminals from abroad.
According to an official release, Saini said every police station should play a bigger role in society instead of limiting itself to maintaining law and order. He said police stations should become centres that encourage positive social change.
He asked SHOs to regularly engage with schools, colleges, panchayats, religious organisations, voluntary groups and youth clubs. Such interactions, he said, would help spread awareness and encourage young people to stay away from drugs and crime.
The Chief Minister said drug networks are now using technology, social media and organised crime to target the youth. He stressed that the police must keep pace with these changing methods. Along with arresting traffickers, law enforcement agencies should work to break entire drug supply chains while strengthening public trust.
Saini said awareness, counselling and rehabilitation should receive as much attention as enforcement. He added that lasting success can only be achieved when police, families, teachers, doctors, women's groups, social organisations and young people work together.
He said encouraging youth to participate in sports is one of the government's priorities. According to him, promoting sports will help steer young people away from drugs and motivate them to bring laurels to the country. Healthy and disciplined youth, he added, are essential for building a developed India.
The Chief Minister announced that Anti-Drug Task Forces will be set up at the state, district, subdivision, block, village and ward levels. These teams will include public representatives, police officers, officials from the Health, Education and Social Welfare departments, NGOs, women's and youth groups, chemists' associations and other prominent citizens to strengthen the anti-drug campaign.
He urged SHOs to carry out their duties with honesty, transparency and compassion. He said if every SHO ensures that drug trafficking does not take root in their jurisdiction, there will be no space left for the drug mafia in Haryana. He also reminded officers that the police uniform represents service, discipline and patriotism.
Saini said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 can only be achieved if the country's youth remain healthy, aware, drug-free and actively involved in sports. He urged police officers to make the Drug-Free Haryana campaign a true people's movement.
During his interaction with police officers, the Chief Minister announced several measures to strengthen the department. He said the allocation under the Investigation Head would be increased to ₹10 crore so that Investigation Officers (IOs) have better resources to implement the new criminal laws.
He also announced that Haryana will introduce its own reward policy for police personnel who perform exceptionally in action against drug traffickers. Before finalising the policy, the government will study similar schemes in other states.
To check the misuse of dual-purpose medicines, Saini said the government will develop a software-based end-to-end monitoring system. Until the software is ready, departments concerned will be instructed to closely monitor and prevent misuse of such drugs.
He further said the government is working on improving the management of Group D employees. A software platform will be developed to assign duties based on employees' qualifications and skills.
The Chief Minister also announced that Medical Officers from the Health Department will be deputed to provide better healthcare to police personnel and their families. He added that the Health and Social Welfare departments would prepare a proposal to establish modern de-addiction and rehabilitation centres in every district, with priority given to the most vulnerable areas.
He said the government will also hold discussions with representatives of print, electronic and social media, along with digital content creators, to seek suggestions on curbing the glorification of gangsters and criminals. A decision on issuing an advisory will be taken after these consultations.
Making another announcement, Saini said SHOs who successfully make their jurisdictions effectively drug-free will be honoured by the government after proper verification. He said the recognition would encourage healthy competition among police officers and strengthen the anti-drug campaign.
Director General of Police Ajay Singhal said Haryana Police is continuing its crackdown on drug traffickers through special drives across the state. Besides taking strict legal action, the department is also running awareness programmes to educate young people and the public about the harmful effects of drug abuse. He also shared details of the department's ongoing campaigns and their achievements.
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