CHANDIGARH: The cash strapped Punjab government has decided to turn its war on drugs into a profit making venture. The state has recently made annual dope testing mandatory for all government employees as well as those seeking government office, contesting polls, and even those wanting to renew their arms licences.
For this, it proposes to charge Rs 1,500 per test per person, though it costs the government only Rs 700 per drug testing kit. This is expected to fetch the government an estimated Rs 108 crore, apart from providing a continuous source of income.
Under the new rules, the dope test is must for nearly 2.50 lakh state government employees. They have to take this test every year or on promotion, as well as for new recruits.
In 2016, the government made dope test compulsory for applicants seeking to renew or get new arms licences. There are 4.5 lakh arms licence holders in Punjab. The government cites the Arms Act, 1959, which stipulates that the applicant must not be dependent on any intoxicating or narcotic substance.
Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa recently proposed that those wanting to contest the panchayat elections scheduled for September will also have to undergo the test. There are more than 6.5 lakh prospective candidates contesting seats in the 13,400 gram panchayats, 22 zilla parishad and 144 panchayats samitis. Bajwa will soon table this proposal before the state cabinet for the final nod.
The Health Department, which estimates the one-time cost of testing all 3.5 lakh government employees at Rs16 crore, has raised concerns about the logistics involved and the lack of sufficient kits.
The Personnel Department has been asked to issue the guidelines and the Health Department to lay down standard operating procedure for these within a week, said sources. The Health Department recently issued tenders for more dope test kits, and sources said the cost might come down from `700 to about Rs 500-600 per kit. But this is unlikely to lower the cost of testing, since it has now become a source of income for the department.
“The rate of dope test was fixed after the government made it compulsory for getting arms licences, and they can only be changed by the government,” a senior official said.
In the case of IAS, IPS, IFS and Punjab Police officers, who are required to undergo periodic medical examinations, it has been suggested that the dope test should be included with the other medical tests.
About 40 per cent government employees and many MLAs have been claiming medical reimbursements, and some fear that their reputations might take a hit if their dope tests turned out positive.
