Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said drugs worth around Rs 70,000 crore have been confiscated since his government launched a “war on drugs” campaign in 2017. He was speaking during the 53rd Statehood Day celebration at Imphal on Tuesday.
The chief minister said that in addition to the confiscation of significant amounts of drugs, security forces have also busted many drug factories, arrested people involved in the drug trade and destroyed more than 30,000 hectares of poppy plantations.
He emphasised that the campaign aims to save future generations, considering the serious impact of drug addiction among the youth.
As part of the celebration, a book titled Know Manipur was released by Singh. He explained that the book’s objective is to educate the youth about Manipur, its diversity, cultures and traditions.
“Manipur has 33-34 recognised tribes, and people belonging to one tribe hardly know about the culture and traditions of others,” he said.
Singh further said that while the people of the state have acquired some knowledge of mainland India through books, there is a lack of understanding of the unique culture, tradition, history, geography, and flora and fauna of Manipur among its youth. Therefore, the book was released on the occasion of Statehood Day, he added.
Singh also stressed the need to make the book available in every school and to organise regular competitions based on general knowledge about the state.
