₹467.49 lakh drug de-addiction push: Mann government’s multi-department drive aims to reclaim Punjab’s youth

Punjab’s Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr Baljit Kaur on Monday said that under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab government is working with firm resolve and continuity to make the state drug-free. She said several important and concrete steps have been taken in this direction, the results of which are now clearly visible at the grassroots level. To effectively carry forward the drug-free campaign, the government has spent a total of ₹467.49 lakh.

The Cabinet Minister said that to generate awareness against drugs, sensitise people and strengthen social participation, various departments of the Punjab government have jointly planned and implemented multiple programmes in a coordinated manner. She said special focus has been laid on sensitising children and teachers about the drug de-addiction campaign by designing and implementing awareness programmes in schools and educational institutions, for which dedicated financial resources have also been provided.

Sharing further details, Dr Baljit Kaur said that under the drug-free campaign, the Department of Health and Family Welfare spent ₹107.22 lakh, the Information and Public Relations Department spent ₹202.99 lakh on extensive public awareness activities, while the Social Security Department spent ₹109.12 lakh to organise awareness camps across all districts of the state.

The Minister said that the worst impact of drug abuse is borne by the youth of the state and their families. Many mothers pray every day for their sons’ future, many children see hope fading from their fathers’ eyes, and the happiness of numerous households has been destroyed due to drugs. She said the Mann government deeply understands this pain and is pursuing the fight for a drug-free Punjab not merely as an administrative exercise, but with a humane and sensitive approach.

Emphasising the government’s resolve, Dr Baljit Kaur said the objective is not only to eradicate drugs from their roots, but also to give every young person the courage to dream again, wipe the tears of every mother, and restore happiness and prosperity in every family. She said Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann is firmly committed to ensuring that every youth of Punjab stays away from drugs and moves forward towards a life of progress and dignity.

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab government is not only formulating policies but also rebuilding the shattered dreams of broken families. The multi-crore budget allocation and coordination between various departments, she said, show that Punjab is now in safe hands.