Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya pledges support to Governor’s drug-free Himachal campaign
Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya met Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla here at Raj Bhavan on Friday. He was accompanied by Member of Parliament N.K. Premachandran and members of the Employee’s State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).
The Union Minister held detailed discussions regarding worker’s welfare schemes and the progress of the state-wide drug de-addiction campaign being spearheaded by the Governor. Shri Mandaviya also felicitated the Governor with a shawl, cap, and memento as a mark of respect.
Welcoming the delegation, the Governor remembered Shri Mandaviya’s dedicated efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and commended his commitment to improving the lives of workers across the country. He briefed about the multi-level structure of the anti-drug campaign in Himachal Pradesh, which now extends to the grassroots level including Panchayats. The Governor noted that synthetic drugs have emerged as a serious concern, but encouragingly, parents and community members are now coming forward to report drug-related activities, and public representatives are also actively engaged.
The Governor shared that the campaign was launched under the inspiration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has now evolved into a mass movement. He highlighted the extensive awareness drives conducted across various districts of the state.
In response, the Union Minister said that Himachal Pradesh is benefitting from Governor Shukla’s long and rich political experience. He noted that the Prime Minister has expressed deep concern over the illegal drug trade that encouraged him to visit Himachal to learn from the successful model implemented by the Governor.
The Union Minister further assured that his ministry will launch a dedicated anti-drug campaign and actively involve the ESIC in support of the Governor’s initiative. He added that lessons from the model of Himachal Pradesh model would be leveraged to raise awareness among youth across the country.
The senior officers from the central government and officials from various states were also present during the meeting.
