Vested interests using drug menace to malign Punjab's name: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: Some people with vested interests have maligned the name of Punjab and its youth in the name of drugs even though this menace is not limited to only one state, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday. 

Addressing a 'Kisan Rally' at Fazilka in Punjab via a phone link, as he could not travel to the venue owing to bad weather conditions, Singh said rather than indulging in name calling, the common man and social service organisations should join hands to uproot this evil from everywhere.

"Some people have maligned the name of the youth of Punjab in the name of drugs due to their own vested interests. I appeal to them to not do this. The menace of drugs is not only prevalent in Punjab but also in other states," he said.

Talking about a number of initiatives taken by the central government for farmers, the Home Minister said the Narendra Modi-led government wants this community to prosper and hence the PM has pledged that by 2022 the income of the farmer should get doubled from the present times.

Many schemes have been formulated in this regard, he said, adding the most important amongst them is the 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna'.

He said this scheme will act as a "security shield" for the farmers to tackle the vagaries of the nature and other things.

He said the Union government is working to ensure that the production of Urea in the next three years rises by 17 metric tonnes even as there has been a "record" production of the same last year.

"This effect of the rise in production of Urea could be seen in villages as black-marketing of this product has by and large ended," he said.

He lauded the farmers for not only ensuring food security to the country by working hard on their fields but also ensuring the security of the country by sending their children to work in the security forces.

"Most of the jawans in the army and security forces come from farmers' families," Singh said.

The minister hailed Punjab's farming community for taking a lead role in tackling the food grain crisis in the 60s and also for spearheading the 'Green Revolution'.

He said his government has enhanced to Rs 5 lakh the compensation given to the families of the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and a total of 3,325 families have been provided this financial aid till now.