CHANDIGARH, April 24 — Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday announced a ₹2,000 monthly honorarium for Sarpanches and launched a new incentive scheme for villages that declare themselves drug-free, linking grassroots governance with the state’s fight against narcotics.
Speaking at a state-level event on Panchayat Diwas, Mann said villages that rid themselves of drugs would be rewarded with ₹1 lakh and upgraded facilities. “Such villages will be developed as models for others to follow,” he said, urging elected heads to lead the campaign under the government’s Yudh Nasheyan De Virudh (War Against Drugs).
“Sarpanches are the eyes and ears of the state government,” Mann said, calling for collective resolve at the village level to curb drug abuse.
He also declared that the ₹2,000 honorarium would be disbursed retroactively from the date of each Sarpanch’s election. “Previous governments made hollow promises of ₹1,200. We’ve turned this into a permanent and regular system,” he noted.
On the crackdown against drug peddlers, the Chief Minister said the state had dismantled several smuggling networks. “Illegally acquired assets of traffickers are being seized to deliver a clear warning,” he said.
Mann stressed the non-partisan role of Sarpanches in strengthening local democracy. “Once elected, a Sarpanch belongs to the entire village. Keep unity above factions,” he urged.
In a separate push for sustainable agriculture, Mann unveiled a statewide initiative to clean and reuse pond water for irrigation. He said the government was working to shift pressure off groundwater resources by improving canal irrigation and treating pond water for farming use.
“We’ve increased canal water use from 21% to 75% since taking office,” he said, adding that Central government data shows groundwater levels have risen by up to one metre in certain blocks.
During the event, Mann awarded the Panchayat Advance Index Award to the Gram Panchayat of Baloh village in Bathinda. Nine other Panchayats, Self-Help Groups, unanimously elected councils, and Panchayat Secretaries were also honored for their role in rural development.
Cabinet Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond and other officials were present at the function.
