People’s resistance will be built up for the crusade against substance abuse in the State, Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh has said.
He was speaking after taking salute at a passing out parade of 144 civil excise personnel, including nine women officers, here on Saturday. These officers have been appointed in various districts across the State.
“Strict inspection will be conducted in shops close to schools and other educational institutions to ensure that drugs or intoxicants are not sold there. There will be networks to monitor such mafia. There will be a joint operation by various departments, including the police, Excise, Education, Higher Education, and the local bodies,” the Minister said.
The State will efficiently tackle challenges raised by the synthetic drugs mafia. The Excise department has been functioning efficiently to track the sources which sent such drugs to the State. The support of the public is inevitable to root out these drug networks. Forums (Samithis) have been formed in the State-district-taluk-ward and school levels, he added.
The high education qualifications of the recruits will improve the efficiency of the force, said the Minister. Of the 144 recruits who completed training, 19 have completed post graduation, while 35 have BTech degree and 73 are graduates.
Training was given in arms drill, drill without arms, computer, Abkari Act, Indian Penal code, criminal penal code and other subjects.
As many as 450 personnel joined the force in the last two years. Of them, 79 are excise inspectors and 29 are women civil excise officers. The government is giving importance to recruiting women and other marginal groups into the force, said the Minister.
Published - June 08, 2024 08:55 pm IST
