SHILLONG: The Committee on Women Empowerment on Monday was assured by the Meghalaya Chief Secretary that the Committee would be privy to all the contents of the policy in February 2020
Talking to media persons after holding a meeting here, chairman of the Committee, Ampareen Lyngdoh said that there had been concerted efforts from all the line departments to embark upon extensive interaction on the policy before it was made public.
The Committee was advised by the Chief Secretary that a meeting can be convened in February 2020 and the they would be privy to all the contents of the policy even as it was informed that a task force of the Government would reach out to different parts of Khasi and Jaintia Hills to contain the menace of drugs even before the policy was announced.
The member of the Committee, HM Shanpliang said that the Committee had insisted on the Government that rehabilitation centres were opened in all the Government hospitals apart from Shillong, Tura and Jowai as most of the addicts come from poor background and they cannot afford expensive treatment in private rehabs.
According to Lyngdoh, the Committee has also asked the State Government to examine the idea of allowing drug addicts to be treated through the Megha Health Insurance scheme (MHIS) card since the scheme now does not cover treatment of drug and alcoholic additions.
In addition, the Committee would also initiate a legislators’ discussion on drug policy to get the views of the legislators
Meanwhile, the Committee said that they would visit the shelter home for boys and girls apart from jails to see the welfare of the woman who are lodged in jails, besides asking the Government to setup shelter homes for women
The Committee has asked the Social Welfare department to immediately come up with proposals for setting up of shelter homes for women in Tura, Shillong and Jowai.