The Punjab government will soon establish an effective network of de-addiction centres across the state to weed out drug menace.

A decision to this effect was taken today by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal during a high-level meeting here with a team of renowned doctors and senior officials of the state government, an official spokesman said.

Badal asked the Health and Medical Education Departments to formulate a comprehensive policy in coordination with the doctors of PGIMER on the city to save the young generation which is under a threat of drug addiction.

A high-level committee headed by Dr Ajit Avasthi and Dr Debasish Basu of PGIMER would be constituted for this, he said.

The Chief Minister approved setting up of five new de-addiction centres in the state at a cost of Rs 25 crore, the spokesman said.

All government hospitals at district-level and all the health centres at sub-division and block levels would be strengthened by providing training to all the doctors and other supporting staff members in a phased manner, he said.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Madan Mohan Mittal said that in the first phase, separate de-addiction wings would be established in all the district, civil hospitals and the same would be extended to all the 117 Community Health Centres (CHCs) in the second phase.