NDPS Act to be made more stringent: Sukhu

Shimla, March 29

The Himachal Government will make amendments to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to make it more stringent to tackle the menace of drugs.

Replying to a query by Indora MLA Malender Rajan during Question Hour in the Vidhan Sabha today, CM Sukhvinder Sukhu said he had already spoken to the Union Home Minister on the need for making the NDPS Act more stringent.

Employees of the Police, Excise and Forest Departments posted in border areas for long would be transferred.

Govt to set up Investment Bureau

• Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said the govt would set up an Investment Bureau as the single-window system was proving to be cumbersome and time-consuming
• “It is with the objective of facilitating industrialists that the bureau will be set up where all the NOCs and clearances will be provided to investors in a time-bound manner,” he said.

The CM said during the past three years, a total of 187 cases had been registered under the NDPS Act and 252 persons arrested. “A total of 245 persons had been arrested in 181 cases in which chargesheets have been filed,” he added. The CM said in five cases, probe against seven persons was underway.

Sukhu informed the House that property worth Rs 6.95 crore of those involved in drug trade had been seized. “It is with the objective of tightening the noose around the drug mafia that a separate police district of Nurpur, which was a border district, has been created,” he added.

He said the 150 posts of police personnel for the Nurpur district would be filled soon. He assured the House that action would be taken against any cop found involved in the drug trade.

Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said a total of 901 MoUs worth Rs 41,684 crore had been signed during the Global Investors Meet during the BJP regime. Of these, 228 units had been established while work was in progress on 157 units. He said a total of 9,366 persons had got jobs in these 228 units, which had become operational.

Replying to a query by Chopal MLA Balbir Verma, Education Minister Rohit Thakur said five schools in the Chopal segment had zero enrolment while eight schools were without teachers. He said every school would be provided more than one teacher.