category Regional, chandigarh, , tags Regional, chandigarh, , DW BUREAU Chandigarh Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said promotion of sports culture can be the most effective tool in crusade against drugs. Addressing a gathering at a function here to distribute Rs 33.83 crore to 168 medal winner players in Asian and national games, the Chief Minister said with the promotion of sports the unbounded energy of the youth is being utilised for excelling in sports. He said that the youth who are involved in sports have no time even to look at drugs because they are using their all might to excel in their respective fields. The Chief Minister said that this will go a long way in eliminating the curse of drugs and making the youth an equal partner in social economic development of the state. The Chief Minister said the government is judiciously spending every single penny for the progress of the state and welfare of its people. He said the government has checked the pilferage of the public money effectively and now this money is being spent for the welfare of the common man. He said the sole aim of the government is to ensure progress and prosperity. Congratulating the players for their feat, the Chief Minister said today is a historic day as all players have converged for this function. He said it is a dream come true for him as the functions for celebrating happiness are being held in state. The Chief Minister said every week such functions are now being held across the state and he is fortunate to head the state at this time. The Chief Minister said that the players had worked hard to achieve these goals and bag medals both in the national and international arena. He said that the players had proven that given a chance they can achieve any goal with their sheer hard work and determination. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjabis are born entrepreneurs and leaders due to which they have proved their mettle across the globe. Slamming the opposition for their frivolous statements, the Chief Minister said that everyone wants to save Punjab but one is telling who has ruined the state. He said that they have taken charge of office only 20 months back but these people and families have ruled the state for a long time. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that these people have mercilessly plundered the common man and the state but now they are trying to mislead the people through such statements. The Chief Minister said that these leaders always boast that they are from the quotas of their so-called leaders of high command but it is a fact that he has been elected as the head of the state from the quota of Punjabis. He said that his every action is aimed at the well being of the people and development of the state and no compromise will ever be made for this. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that his actions are guided by the great freedom fighters like Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha and others, who always inspire him to work tirelessly and selflessly for the people of state. He said that the state government has taken path breaking initiatives for the welfare of common man adding that to check the fatality rate due to road accidents in the state on one hand and to streamline the movement of traffic on the roads of the state on the other, the state government has launched Sadak Surakhya Force. He said that the first of its kind specialized force will act as a pivotal to save several precious lives that are lost in road accidents daily in Punjab. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this force will be entrusted with the task of checking rash driving, streamlining vehicular movement on roads and others to check the road accidents adding that it will reduce the burden on cops deployed in Police stations. The Chief Minister said that in the first phase a force of 1300 cops will be recruited for this specialized force. He said that initially 144 vehicles equipped with ultra modern gadgets will be deployed after every 30 kilometres to man the roads. Bhagwant Singh Mann further said that the vehicles will also have a complete medical kit for providing emergency treatment to any person in need adding that it will save more than 2500 precious lives of people annually. He said that the state has created history by purchasing Goindwal power plant owned by a private company GVK Power at a cost of Rs 1080 crore. He said that for the first time this reverse trend has started that the government has purchased any private power plant whereas in the past the state governments used to sell their assets to the favorite individuals at throw away prices. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is a step forward towards providing cheap power to the residents of the state. He said that as the head of the state his every action is aimed at ensuring the progress of the state and prosperity of its people. He said that unfortunately his predecessors were never bothered about the state but they were more concerned about their vested political interests. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that in dearth of any tangible issue against him, the rejected leaders of the state are baselessly criticizing him daily without any halt. (editor dailyworld.in)