Centre should perform its duty to check narcotic smuggling-Sukhbir

Bathinda/Chandigarh, September 3, 2012 : Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today asked Union government to perform its duty to effectively check smuggling of narcotics through Indo-Pak border.

Speaking to media persons here today after inauguration of sub office of a media house, Badal rued that increasing failures of narcotics by Punjab police suggested that first line of defence manned by BSF on Indo-Pak border seems to be quite porous.

Badal said that he had given single point agenda to Punjab police to crack down on narcotic mafia to save the future of our young generation. He said that he had vowed at Sri Harmandir Sahib to launch a campaign against drug trafficiking and he was quiet hopefull that with the blessings of the almighty he would take out Punjab from this menace of drug addiction.

Further, Badal said that with BSF posted at Indo-Pak border, Punjab police  could play only a second line of defence and we have recovered more than 265 kg of Heroine during last few months against total seizure of 500 kgs in whole country suggesting that Punjab police has intensified its war against drug mafia.

He said that large scale arrests, auction of properties of drug lords besides coordinated campaign with Narcotic Bureau of India would be instrumental in finishing this menace forever.

When asked about property tax, Badal said that Punjab government was arm twisted to levy this tax on urban population as Union government had stopped the release of grants under JNRUM schemes. He said that pre conditions of forcing states to levy taxes against its wishes was against the principle of constitutional principles.

Seeking flexibility in fixing the norms for the Central schemes according to the state’s needs, Badal said that in a vast and diversified country like India, a single nor for implementation of all schemes was not practical. He said that states should be given its allocated funds and they should be given freedom to spend the funds as per immediate development requirements of the states.

Badal said that  last year Rs. 1100 crore was withheld by Union government as we refused to levy property tax and this year they had stopped the release of Rs. 900 crore grant. He said that we were forced by the Union government to levy this tax against our wishes.