Chandigarh, March 8 The anti-drug campaign, "Yudh Nashian Virudh," is a sustained effort to combat the drug menace, with Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stating on Sunday that thousands of cases have been registered and large quantities of drugs seized over the past year.
While presenting the Punjab budget for 2026-27 here, Cheema said that "Yudh Nashian De Virudh" has been pursued not as a temporary measure, but as a sustained campaign against the drug menace.
Over the past year, 36,686 cases have been registered against 52,331 traffickers under the NDPS Act, leading to the seizure of more than 33,000 kg of narcotics through intelligence-led operations, he stated.
Financial investigations have been strengthened to attach properties derived from illicit drug proceeds, he said.
Strengthening the fight against the drug menace, Cheema said that nearly 12,000 Village Defense Committees with over 1.25 lakh members and thousands of "Pinda De Pehredar" volunteers have been mobilized to reinforce enforcement with community vigilance.
"I am happy to share that in just the last two months, over 350 FIRs have been registered and 510 persons have been arrested based solely on the feedback from Village Defense Committees," said Cheema.
Highlighting the role of the Anti-Gangster Task Force in tackling organized crime, Cheema said that 2,762 gangsters and criminals have been arrested, 34 neutralized, 1,062 modules busted, and 2,203 weapons recovered since its formation.
To further dismantle the nexus between organized crime and narcotics, "Operation Prahar" has been launched as a coordinated statewide crackdown targeting gangster networks, financiers, and logistical chains, he said.
"This synchronized action has weakened the structural roots that sustain drug trafficking and violent crime," he said.
"In FY 2026-27, we will deepen this institutional approach through enhanced cyber and forensic capabilities, strengthened Anti-Narcotics Task Force operations, digital monitoring systems, and greater financial disruption of criminal networks," he said.
"Yudh Nashian De Virudh" is thus evolving from an enforcement action into a long-term governance framework – firm in action, precise in intelligence, and uncompromising in its resolve to secure the future of Punjab's youth," he said.
Meanwhile, Cheema further stated that, as announced in the previous budget, the state has made decisive progress on the Drug and Socio-economic Census initiative.
During the current year, the necessary groundwork has been completed, including the development of the dedicated software platform and comprehensive training of field functionaries to ensure accuracy, transparency, and data integrity.
Building upon this preparedness, the Census will be rolled out from April 2026, enabling the government to generate reliable, evidence-based data to guide targeted welfare interventions and strengthen our fight against drug abuse, he said.
An allocation of Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for FY 2026-27 for its effective implementation.
