Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, March 21
The Himachal Pradesh cabinet has approved a proposal to bar people accused in “chitta” (synthetic drug) cases from contesting panchayat elections, in a move aimed at tightening the state’s crackdown on narcotics-linked crime. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting held at the state secretariat on Monday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, during the ongoing budget session of the Vidhan Sabha. According to officials, the cabinet decided that anyone against whom a case has been registered in connection with “chitta”, or whose chargesheet in such a case has already been filed in court, will be disqualified from contesting panchayat polls.
However, the proposed restriction will apply only to cases linked to synthetic drugs and will not cover accused persons booked under other provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The state government is expected to introduce a Bill in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly to give effect to the decision.
The cabinet also approved the purchase of a PET scan machine for Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Tanda, a move expected to strengthen diagnostic facilities in the region. In the health sector, it also cleared the opening of biophysics departments at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla, as well as at medical colleges in Hamirpur and Ner Chowk.
The government further approved measures to strengthen the city gas distribution system in an effort to address shortages of cooking gas and reduce the risk of future supply disruptions. Another decision cleared by the cabinet was the setting up of inter-college facilities among medical colleges, although further details are yet to be officially announced.
The cabinet’s decisions come as the Sukhu government continues to highlight anti-drug action, healthcare expansion and public utility reforms during the budget session.
