Arunachal Pradesh deputy chief minister Chowna Mein visited the drug de-addiction-cum-rehabilitation centre at Lathao in Namsai district.
Mein, who visited the centre at Latho, 17 km from Namsai along with planning and investment commissioner P.S. Lokhande, interacted with the patients, who are undergoing treatment.
Lokhande, also the divisional commissioner (East), is on a tour of Namsai district.
Mein advised the patients to strongly resolve to kick the habit of drug addiction and properly take the treatment administered at the centre and free themselves from the clutches of drug abuse.
Lokhande enquired about the functioning of the centre and its issues and needs. He said that the rehabilitation aspect must also be started in the right earnest, reports PRO.
Indrajit Tingwa, secretary of Arunachal Pali Vidyapith Society briefed the visiting dignitaries on the need of decentralisation for procurement of medicines and other inventories besides the need for increasing the diet costs for the patients.
Arunachal Pali Vidyapith Society is the partner NGO which is implementing the drug de-addiction activities in the district under PPP mode.
Need for proper security wall and improvement of water supply was also apprised to the deputy chief minister of Namsai district, who instantly gave necessary directions for processing the matter.
The centre is being funded under the CM Nasha Mukti Yojana through the Arunachal Pradesh Drug De-addiction Society under the Directorate of Health Services.
Mein said it was necessary to set up such centres and asked Lokhande to make plans to turn the centre at Lathao into a sophisticated, full-fledged rehabilitation centre that will cater to the needs of the eastern belt of the state besides detoxification of drug users.
Lokhande, acknowledging the proposal of the deputy chief minister, assured to take up the matter and expressed his opinion in favour of decentralising the procurement process.
Namsai DC Namsai R.K. Sharma, SP D.W. Thongdok, N.S. Namchoom and other heads of various departments were part of the entourage.
Mein and Lokhande also attended the second District Level Monitoring Committee (DLMC)-cum-review meeting convened at the District Secretariat in Namsai.
Lekang MLA Jummum Ete Deori and top district officials also participated in the review meeting.
The deputy chief minister, seeking priority to the tourism sector in the district, emphasised on the scope for setting up a botanical garden, trekking site and other recreational units.
“Tourism businesses which are in harmony with nature and progressive entrepreneurs should be encouraged. The untapped areas in the district need to be identified to tap its full potential,” he said.
He underlined the investment scope for companies that can be facilitated by the now-improved power sector in Namsai.
Lokhande hailed the district for its outstanding performance and rapid development and sought cooperation from officers in the district to match Mein’s visionary leadership.
He advised the heads of departments not to work in silos but as a team and to avail innovative ideas of PPP in areas required.
Lokhande sought a push for Jal Jeevan Mission programmes and underscored the need for a value-addition unit for agriculture and allied sectors and ensured to complete the proposed projects of Spice Park and Mini Food Park within two years.
The Namsai DC said the district is making remarkable progress in the fields of commerce, tourism and education.
He said the political leadership and the bureaucracy need to work on the same wavelength for best outcomes for the district.
The HoDs of various departments elucidated the status of their developmental works and projects.