Project to rehabilitate drug dependents into mainstream launched in Ludhiana

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 24

To help drug dependents to lead a normal life by bringing them back into the mainstream, the district administration launched ‘Mission Red Sky’, here on Wednesday.

While launching the project, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Varinder Kumar Sharma directed 50 officials of various departments to identify 500 drug dependents (10 each), to provide them job opportunities through skill development or training programmes.

State govt’s flagship programme

While launching the ‘Mission Red Sky’ project, DC Varinder Kumar Sharma said it is the state government’s flagship programme which is aimed at rehabilitating drug abuse victims through skilling and employment. Under the mission, each official will identify 10 drug dependents, who were getting treatment from OOAT centres, and will provide job opportunities to them by enhancing their capabilities through skill development or training programmes at the DBEE so that they become self-reliant.

He said the state government’s flagship programme ‘Mission Red Sky’ was aimed at rehabilitating drug abuse victims through skilling and employment. He said under the mission, each official would identify 10 drug dependents, who were getting treatment from OOAT centres and would provide job opportunities to them by enhancing their capabilities through skill development or training programmes at the District Bureau of Employment and Enterprises (DBEE) so that they could earn a livelihood like others and become self-reliant.

He said each of the deputed officials had been tasked for the cause so that the drug dependents did not face any problem in getting employment along with their treatment.

The DC asked them to achieve the target and help the drug dependants to become active partners in the socio-economic growth of the state. He also formed a committee to hold meetings with industry associations for preparing details of jobs.

The Deputy Commissioner said the massive crackdown on drug peddlers by the state government and large-scale awareness programmes, including DAPO, Buddy, and others, have yielded positive results as these movements had created awareness among the public against drug abuse. Sharma said the district administration would continue its efforts till the entire Ludhiana district was freed of drugs.