Punjab Governor calls for eradicating female foeticide

Chandigarh, Aug 14 (UNI) Praising the enterprising Punjabis for the rapid strides they had made in the agricultural and various other fields, Punjab Governor Gen (Retd) S F Rodrigues today called for effective steps to check female foeticide.

'' There is a need to control the menace of female foeticide, drug addiction and the spread of AIDS'', the Gonernor said in his message on the eve of Independence Day.

''As citizens, it is our collective responsibility to launch a crusade against these social evils'', he said.

Extending his greetings to the people of the border state and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, he said Punjab, being pre-dominantly an agrarian state, had achieved major breakthroughs in the griculture sector and allied fields. Crop diversification had been given top priority to give a new push to this vital sector of the economy, by involving agriculture scientists and experts in the field through State Farmers Commission, he said.

Lt Gen Rodrigues said there has been a marked improvement in infrastructure development and civic amenities, buoyancy in the economy, revolution in the IT sector and quality improvement in health care and education.

''The application of e-governance for delivery systems has enabled us to improve the lives of countless citizens of the region'', he added.

It said a special project known as e-Jan Sampark envisages the setting up of 50 manned Jan Sampark Kiosks in the City to provide information related to health care, government functioning, tourism, economy, transport and others.

On this occasion, the Governor asked the people to remember the martyrs who laid down their lives for the freedom of the country.

UNI HS AK KN1541