DW BUREAU / Shimla While launching Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan from Sangla in Kinnaur district on the occasion of Birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said that with the concerted efforts, TB would be eradicated from the State by the year 2023. To achieve the goal of eradication of the disease, Himachal Pradesh was the first TB Free State in the country. He said that tribal district of Kinnaur has been selected to start this campaign. The Governor said that some difficulties occurred due to Corona period in achieving the goal of elimination but now this goal has to be achieved. He said that it was the collective responsibility of the entire society to check TB and help them by speeding up the TB free campaign. He expressed contentment that the corporate sector and big businessmen have come forward to contribute in this direction and adopting TB patients for treatment. He said that the State Red Cross was also making an important contribution in this direction. He appealed to everyone to adopt one person suffering from TB and took the responsibility to help them in providing all assistance. He said that today, as per the data 12.30 lakh TB cases were reported in India. He said that the total TB notification rate in 2021 in the State was 191 cases per lakh population. Total TB cases in 2021 in the State were 14492, out of which 2.6 per cent were in tribal areas, 74 per cent in rural and 23.4 percent in urban areas. The Governor said that JSW Hydro Energy Limited was doing good work for eradication of TB in the district. He expressed happiness that the company has adopted 10 TB patients. He urged them to adopt the entire district and said that it would be of great help in this direction. The Governor also distributed 'Poshan Kits' provided by JSW Energy Baspa Plant to the beneficiaries. He also distributed Health Kits to the needy people on the occasion. Dr Roshan Lal, Chief Medical Officer, Kinnaur welcomed and honoured the Governor by presenting Himachali cap and Khattak on the occasion. Gopal Beri, Deputy Managing Director, National Health Mission welcomed the Governor on the occasion and detailed about the activities of the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan through power point presentation. He also briefed about the scope and expected outcomes of NI-KSHAY 2.0 portal. Earlier, the Governor also inaugurated a blood donation camp organized by the State Red Cross Society in collaboration with Health department at Sangla. Excise dept tightens the noose on illicit liquor business State Taxes and Excise Commissioner Yunus said here today that a team of the department had tightened the noose on liquor mafia across the state, especially the border areas of the Kangra and other districts. He said that a team of the State Taxes and Excise department had raided the border areas of Kangra district Chhanni Beli and Bhadroa adjoining Punjab and had recovered huge quantities of raw liquor and destroyed it on the spot. He said that the departmental team had raided these areas with the help of Himachal Home Guard personnel. The team constituted by the In-charge of departmental revenue district Nurpur Tikkam Thakur, had other members included Assistant Commissioners of Nurpur, Jawali and Indora circles and other officers and employees of the department.The Commissioner said that this team had carried out a wide search operation in the forests of village Bhadroa and took possession of the raw liquor prepared there. The team took the possession of four furnaces, plastic drums and cans etc. The State Taxes and Excise Commissioner said that the department was getting many complaints about illegal liquor business in this area. /DW/ (editor@dailyworld.in)