MP Dr Gandhi questions relevance & effectiveness of BSF’s IELTS training program amidst Punjab’s drug crisis
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ August 12,2024
Dr. Dharamvira Gandhi, Member of Parliament from Patiala, has voiced strong concerns regarding a new Border Security Force (BSF) initiative aimed at providing IELTS training to Punjabi youth. In a letter to the Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, Dr. Gandhi has questioned the program’s relevance and effectiveness in tackling Punjab’s critical issues.
According to Dr.Gandhi, Punjab is currently grappling with a severe drug crisis that has wreaked havoc on its communities and economy. Dr. Gandhi argues that the focus on English language proficiency through the IELTS program fails to address the root causes of this crisis. Instead of effectively combating drug abuse and related socio-economic problems, the program may inadvertently lead to increased migration, further straining local resources and exacerbating the situation.
Dr. Gandhi has urged the government to reconsider this approach and redirect efforts towards more practical and impactful skill development programs and has advocated for initiatives that offer vocational training, support for local entrepreneurship, and development of regional industries.
Such programs, he asserts, would provide tangible employment opportunities, stabilize the local economy, and address the socio-economic factors contributing to the drug crisis.
MP Dr Gandhi questions relevance & effectiveness of BSF’s IELTS training program amidst Punjab’s drug crisis. Dr. Gandhi’s call for a strategic shift in focus highlights the pressing need for targeted interventions that directly address Punjab’s unique challenges. The critique of the BSF’s IELTS training initiative underscores the importance of aligning government programs with the specific needs of the state’s youth and communities.
As per available information, the Border Security Force is now providing IELTS coaching to youngsters under its civic action programme. It has already trained 50 youths out of which three girls have cleared the IELTS exam.
