Mohali, August 17: Members of Village and Ward Defence Committees received state recognition on Independence Day for their active contributions to the ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ anti-drug initiative across Punjab.
The felicitation drive serves as the opening phase of a structured fortnight-long administrative and community review process, which will culminate in a state-level assessment meeting chaired by the Chief Minister on August 31.
“Yudh Nashean Virudh activities will be front and centre in all celebrations around National Days and other significant government occasions,” declared official sources regarding decisions finalized during a state-level function chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
At the district level, Deputy Commissioners presented honors to Assembly Coordinators and Vice Assembly Coordinators, while Sub-Divisional Magistrates felicitated Block Coordinators. At the grassroots level, panchayats and local schools organized programs to acknowledge the work of community volunteers.
The schedule planned by the Office of the State Nodal Officer for the Anti-Drug Campaign establishes village-level committee meetings through August 25 to evaluate local policing reports, track complaints, and compile direct feedback. Cabinet ministers will subsequently lead district-level review sessions with police and health officials before presenting final progress reports to the Chief Minister.
State officials maintained that integrating grassroots defense committees into official reviews reflects a focus on turning anti-drug enforcement into a sustained, community-led movement across every district.
