Shimla, June 9 -- In a significant move aimed at addressing the gender-specific challenges of substance abuse, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has inaugurated the state's first government-run de-addiction and rehabilitation centre exclusively for women. The facility, established under the "Navjeevan" initiative, is designed to provide comprehensive support, including rehabilitation, counselling, and social reintegration, for women battling drug addiction.

Addressing the necessity of such a facility, the Chief Minister underscored that the government recognised the impropriety of housing women in rehabilitation centres primarily designed for men. A major barrier to seeking help for women, he noted, has been the deep...