Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 6 (ANI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said that the increasing drug menace and cybercrimes have posed the biggest challenge to the police.

The Chief Minister emphasised that the responsibility of curbing emerging crimes lies with the police forces. The nature of crime has now undergone a transformation, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a double-edged sword.

Expressing serious concern over increasing drug abuse by the educated youth, the Chief Minister said that the government was making efforts to encourage the youth to divert their attention to sports by stopping them from visiting pubs and drug culture. Unfortunately, some bright students are falling prey to drugs. The youth are drifting away from sports. Abandoning the playing fields is the biggest mistake committed by the youth.

The Chief Minister also said that the most worrying factor is youth addicted to drugs in the state of Punjab, which once provided valiant freedom fighters for India's independence. CM Revanth Reddy said that Telangana will not turn into another Punjab.

The Chief Minister underscored the need every one should contribute to the nation and warned that India will face consequences if the youth go in the wrong direction.

Remembering the invaluable contribution of Hyderabad football players during the 1950s and 1960s, the CM said that popular football player Lionel Messi was invited to Hyderabad and provided an opportunity to the sports aspirants, mainly from SC and ST communities, to play with Messi. There were 7 Hyderabad players in the Indian football team who displayed their sports spirit in the 1956 Olympics. Hyderabad was known as the 'Nursery of Indian Football.'

The Chief Minister spoke out about India's poor performance in the Olympic Games. With a population of 1.4 billion, India failed to win even a single gold medal. South Korea, with just a population of 40 million, secured over 30 medals. A single young woman from South Korea also won two gold medals. During his visit to Korea, the CM said that the sports university in that country was equipped with advanced sports infrastructure.

Aiming to win medals in the next Olympics, CM Revanth Reddy said that the government was establishing the Young India Sports University at an international level. This university was being set up through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Prominent sports persons and industrialists were already appointed to the governing board.

The Chief Minister stated that the government was giving government jobs and cash awards to the sports persons who excelled. World boxing champion Nikhat Zareen was appointed as

Group-1 officer, along with a cash award of Rs 2 crores. India Cricket player Siraj failed his 10th-grade examinations and did not technically meet the eligibility criteria for a Group-1 post. The government relaxed the rules and appointed him as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). Also, we awarded a Group-1 post to Deepti Jurungi for winning a medal in the Paralympic Games.

Congratulating the winners in the police football championship, the CM said that 34 teams displayed exceptional sporting talent in the all-India tournament. The Chief Minister also remembered BN Mullik, who was also called a Spy Master, for his contribution in strengthening the Intelligence agencies. (ANI)