KATRA, Oct 16: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS, PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh today expressed concern over the menace of drug addiction spreading even to Reasi district and the holy destination of Katra Vaishnodevi.
The Minister said he was disturbed to receive reports about rising cases of substance abuse by the youth in this region.
The Minister had held review meetings with the local administration and law enforcing agencies on the matter in the last two days.
Dr Jitendra Singh appealed to parents and the local administration to wean away children from drugs, saying their potential must be harnessed to realise Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of making India a developed nation by 2047. He said the sanctity of the holy city of Katra must be preserved, and it must become a source of inspiration for social values.
The Minister said a strategic plan is being formulated at the local administration level and social level to check drug addiction. Hotspots will he identified and social awareness will be created to curb the menace, he informed.
Dr Jitendra Singh was speaking after inaugurating the Navratri festival and Multimedia Exhibition, organised by Central Bureau of Communication, Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, here to mark the auspicious Navratras.
The theme of the weeklong exhibition being organised at Government Boys’ Higher Secondary School, Katra is 9 Years of Seva, Sushasan and Garib Kalyan. The exhibition coincides with Navratri Festival in Katra.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jitendra Singh said the development of the region is the top priority of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. He said revolutionary development has taken place in the region in the last nine years. Talking about infrastructure projects,
Dr Jitendra Singh said the world’s highest railway bridge has come up in Reasi. The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway is soon going to be ready. He said , Katra was the second station in the country to get Vande Bharat train and when the rail line is through with Kashmir valley by this year end, Katra wil be a an important junction.
Katra was singled out for the Modi Govt’s PRASAD scheme, informed the Minister and said soon will also have Multimode Inter Station.
In his address, Joint Director, Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), Jammu, Shri Ghulam Abbas said the unit has been creating awareness about government schemes and programmes among the public. Today’s exhibition is part of the efforts to reach the message to the grassroots, he added.
DDC Chairman Reasi Sarv Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Reasi, Ms. Babila Rakwal, SSP, Reasi Amit Sharma Chairman Municipal Shashi Gupta, Vice Chairman Ajay Baru, DDC members, PRIsand other senior officials of the administration were present on the occasion.
Also present were former Minister Ajay Nanda, former MLA Baldev Sharma, local activists Prabhat Singh, Rohit Dubey and others.
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