Rajasthan

• 08 Sep 2022

Three Important Decisions of the Chief Minister for Drug Free Rajasthan

Why In News?

• On September 7, 2022, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took an important decision to make Rajasthan drug-free, for various works including prevention of drug abuse, rehabilitation of drug victims and spreading public awareness in the state, 'Drug-free Rajasthan Directorate/Commissionerate', 'Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF)' and 'Anti-Narcotics Unit ( Approved proposals for constitution of 'ANU)'.

Key Points

• Directorate of Drug Free Rajasthan / Commissionerate is being formed for many works including eliminating the growing problem of drug addiction. In this, the Commissioner, ex-officio Government Secretary, Home has been appointed.
• Also, officers/ employees of Medical and Family Welfare, Excise, Education, Social Justice and Empowerment, Police Department, State Forensic Science Laboratory, Directorate of Information and Public Relations will be included.
• The 'Anti-Narcotics Task Force' has been constituted under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary, Home. Additional Director General of Police, ANU has been made member secretary.
• There will be 10 members in this force. These include Additional Chief Secretary of School Education, Department of Medical Health and Family Welfare, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Department of Agriculture, Excise Department and Government Secretary of Higher Education Department and Additional Director General of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, State Drug Controller, State Forensic Science Laboratory and Director of Directorate of Information and Public Relations.
• The task force, Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) will act as secretariat. It will ensure implementation of decisions of various meetings of NCORD.
• Coordination will be established with various departments, government agencies and police units for purposes such as developing strategies, measures and various methods for enforcement of laws against drug trafficking, prevention of abuse, rehabilitation of victims and spreading awareness.
• This force will ensure legal action against police, health and other departmental officers if they are found involved in smuggling of medicines. It will also assess the data related to drug abuse by various departments and recommend it to the state government for necessary policy changes.
• Proposals will be prepared and sent to the Central Government as per the requirement of various departments for financial assistance provided under central government schemes for drug control by the Directorate/ Commissionerate.
• An 'Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU)' is being formed under the chairmanship of Inspector General of Police in SOG for the prevention of narcotic drugs and narcotics. It will mainly work as Anti-Narcotics Enforcement.

Second Phase of 'Rajiv Gandhi Jal Sanchay Yojana'

Why In News?

• On September 7, 2022, Aparna Arora, Principal Secretary, Rajasthan Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, informed that the state government has decided to start the second phase of 'Rajiv Gandhi Jal Sanchay Yojana', in which an order has been issued.

Key Points

• According to the order issued by Secretary Aparna Arora, the main objective of the second phase of the scheme is to discuss with the general public and construct pucca anicuts, MIT, WHS and MST on priority, conserve various financial resources and revive traditional drinking water and water sources.
• Similarly, to overcome the shortage of drinking water in the villages, to make drinking water available near the village or villages, to increase the ground water level, to increase the irrigated and arable area by rainwater harvesting and conservation, to increase the irrigated and arable area by conserving water and soil, etc.
• In the second phase, about 4500 villages of 352 Panchayat Samitis of Rajasthan have been included in this campaign.
• The working period of the second phase will be 2 years. Committees have been formed at the state, district and block levels for its effective implementation and monitoring. Along with this, gram panchayat level executive committee has also been formed to publicize the action plan.
• Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department administrative department and Catchment Development and Land Conservation Department will be the nodal department for the implementation of the second phase. District Collector will be the nodal officer for effective implementation of this scheme.
• It is noteworthy that Rajiv Gandhi Jal Sanchay Yojna was started on 20th August, 2019 for maximum collection, conservation and equitable use of available water in the state. In the first phase, 4029 villages were included in 1450 gram panchayats.