Patiala villages inching closer to becoming free of drugs: Minister

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, all cabinet ministers and Aam Aadmi Party MLAs are actively visiting villages and wards across the state, mobilising citizens and strengthening the Yudh Nasheyan Virudh campaign.

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The collective pledge is firm — the fight will continue relentlessly until Punjab is completely free from the scourge of drugs.

As part of this ongoing campaign, Singh visited the villages of Ajnauda Khurd, Ajnauda Kalan, Kansooh Kalan, Pedhni, Pedhan, and Khurd in the Patiala rural constituency, where he urged residents to unite in this critical mission.

He noted that several villages in the region are already making significant progress toward becoming drug-free. Citing Sidhuval and Bakhshiwala as examples, he shared that only a handful of individuals in these villages remain affected, and they are being motivated and supported on their path to recovery. The active and non-partisan participation of villagers in the Nasha Mukti Yatra stands as a powerful indication of the public’s growing determination to eliminate drugs at the grassroots level.

The Minister emphasised that drug addiction ruins families—not only by weakening them financially but also by contributing to illness and criminal behavior. He appealed to parents to be vigilant in protecting their children from substance abuse, urging them to monitor everything from candies and snacks to their children’s company. He stressed that when an entire village remains alert, drugs cannot gain a foothold, and future generations remain protected.

Singh said that the state government has formed Village Defense Committees and Ward Defense Committees to monitor drug-related activities. These committees are not only reporting drug peddlers to the police but are also guiding addicts toward treatment and rehabilitation. He added that individuals recovering from addiction are being provided with skill training to help them become self-reliant and contribute meaningfully to their families and communities.