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Pb. Current Affairs

20th January 2022

Punjab’s tableau themed on ‘Punjab’s Contribution in Freedom Struggle’ has been selected by the Union home ministry (MHA) for the 73rd Republic Day parade in New Delhi.

The theme of this year’s Republic Day is “India@75” as it is the 75th year of India’s independence.

The MHA had received a total of 56 proposals for the Republic Day tableaux from various states and Union ministries, out of which 21 have been shortlisted.

(Source:timesofindia)

To prevent children from drug abuse and to stop the sale of drugs in surrounding areas of schools/educational institutes and childcare institutions, the district magistrates in 18 districts have written to the district education officers (DEOs).

Effectively implement a joint action plan on “preventing substance abuse among children and illicit trafficking”.
The National Commission for the Protection of Children’s Rights wrote to the district magistrates to implement the action plan.
The plan was formulated on the basis of deliberations and contributions from the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB), the Ministry of Education, Defence, the Ministry of Health and others.

These 18 districts are on the list of 272 districts in the country that the Centre reported as the “most affected” districts for substance abuse and addiction. The districts include Faridkot, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Mansa, Moga, Pathankot, Sangrur, Patiala, Muktsar, SBS Nagar, Tarn Taran and Hoshiarpur.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment had identified the vulnerable districts based on the findings of a national survey on the extent and pattern of substance use in the country from the supply point of view as provided by the NCB.
As per the action plan, school principals are told to maintain a list of shops of cigarettes, beedis and other tobacco products operating within 100 yards radius of their school as per Section 6 of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act. The list shall be shared with the DEOs, who should share it with the district magistrates.
Upon receiving the list, the local authorities and police, will issue orders to take appropriate corrective action to ensure that no cigarettes/beedis or any other tobacco product shops exist within the radius of 100 yards of the schools/educational institutions and other institutions meant for children.
Schools shall display and exhibit a board at conspicuous place(s) on the premises, prominently stating that sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products near the educational institutions is strictly prohibited and is a punishable offense.