Chandigarh, August 4, 2025 — Punjab is set to scale up its battle against drug abuse with the launch of ‘Yudh Nasheyan Virudh 2.0’, a community-centered initiative that puts citizens at the heart of enforcement and prevention.
This next chapter in the anti-drug campaign will see the formation of village- and ward-level defence committees across the state. Each unit, comprising 10 to 20 local residents, will act as the first line of defence, working closely with law enforcement to report drug-related activities and block the spread of narcotics in their areas.
The campaign will officially be launched in Ludhiana on Monday by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, where the inaugural committees will be introduced. The state plans to expand these citizen units to every village and urban ward. Preference for committee membership will go to retired military personnel, educators, and ex-government employees—individuals deemed trustworthy and community-oriented.
This marks a strategic shift from the earlier enforcement-heavy model of ‘Yudh Nasheyan Virudh’, which began in March this year. That phase focused on cracking down on drug networks, resulting in the arrest of 24,499 drug traffickers, according to government data.
Now, under the guidance of a five-member cabinet committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, the government aims to fortify its fight with public participation. Officials say the new model will help tackle blind spots in enforcement and empower communities to take ownership of the issue.
The government believes this grassroots vigilance can also help reduce the stigma attached to drug abuse, fostering a collective resistance that could outlast traditional policing efforts.
