Manipur Chief Minister N Biren on Friday expressed serious concern over increasing drug menace in the state despite the continuing War on Drugs and called for people's participation. Also, urging drug traffickers in the state to stop the menace, he assured them alternative livelihood means.
Biren was addressing the gathering at the Distribution of Welfare Benefits of the Manipur Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board (MBOCWWB) at Hapta Kangjeibung on Friday.
The chief minister urged people to identify drug traffickers in their localities in the effort to curb the menace in the state. However, stressing against mob justice and violence against drug traffickers, he assured drug traffickers of an alternative means of livelihood.
Saying that the War on Drugs and drive against illegal poppy plantation campaigns have achieved huge success with the support of the general public, the chief minister highlighted Union Home Minister Amit Shah's appreciation of the state’s efforts in the movement against the drug menace.
Efforts continue to destroy illegal poppy plantations in the state, the chief minister said, adding that the state has the option to hand the issue to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) if the case is hard to deal with.
During the event, Biren said the government cannot curb corruption alone without the support and cooperation of the public. He then highlighted several welfare benefits provided by the government, including Accidental Death Benefit, Educational Benefit, Disability Benefits and many more. He said, today under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, subsidies and benefits of welfare schemes are directly transferred to the accounts of the beneficiaries.
The chief minister said the Direct Benefit Transfer ensures that the subsidies and benefits reach the beneficiaries directly without the involvement of a mediator which ensures anti-corruption.
The distributed Welfare Benefits include 5000 Education Benefits, 500 Medical Benefits, 78 Natural Death Benefits, 16 Accidental Benefits, 13 Maternity Benefits and one Disability benefit with a total amount of Rs 7 crore 68 lakh.
Biren also said the recent COVID pandemic taught us a valuable lesson that humans are harming nature. He appealed to the people to live in harmony with nature by echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “One Earth One Family slogan”. He also urged the public to wear masks considering the new Covid cases around the world.
Saying rapid deforestation will eventually affect cultivation, Biren stressed that it is high time for all to be united and work towards safeguarding our future.
Minister Works Konthoujam Govindas Singh, Social Welfare, Fisheries and SLEE Minister Heikham Dingo Singh, Education Minister Thounaojam Basanta Singh and several MLAs attended the programme.
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