CHANDIGARH, July 28:

          Continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 149th day, Punjab Police conducted raids at 381 locations on Monday leading to the arrest of 80 drug smugglers after registration of 57 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 23,726 in 149 days.

          The raids have resulted in recovery of 255 grams heroin, 1218 intoxicant tablets/pills/injections and Rs 10,760 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers.

          The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav simultaneously in all 28 Police districts of the state.

          Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.

          Divulging details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla informed that over 180 Police teams, comprising over 1100 police personnel, under the supervision of 83 gazetted officers have conducted raids across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 427 suspicious persons during the day-long operation, he added.

          The Special DGP said that with the state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of ‘De-addiction’ has convinced 41 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.

Chandigarh, July 28:

In a significant initiative by the Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to provide advanced vocational training to the youth, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed today between Government Polytechnic College Amritsar and IIT Rupnagar.

As part of this MoU, an AI-based Cyber-Physical System (CPS) Lab will be established at Government Polytechnic College Amritsar. The event was presided over by Punjab Public Works and Power Minister, S. Harbhajan Singh ETO.

Addressing the gathering, Cabinet Minister S. Harbhajan Singh ETO stated that the Punjab Government is fully committed to strengthening the infrastructure of technical education and equipping the youth with future-ready skills.

The new CPS Lab will provide research support, technical assistance, and hands-on training to students and faculty in emerging technologies. It will also play a vital role in promoting research, innovation, and technical training, as well as in developing industry-oriented, skill-based education modules.

The MoU was signed by S. Davinder Singh Bhatti, Principal of Government Polytechnic College Amritsar, and senior officials from IIT Rupnagar.

The occasion was attended by top officials from IIT Rupnagar, Nominee Director and Principal Kamaldeep Kaur, representatives from the Skilling and Startup Team of the Punjab Communications Department, officials from the Department of Technical Education, and faculty members of Government Polytechnic College Amritsar including Kashmiri Lal, Dr. Harpreet Singh Soch, Satish Kumar, Sumitarbir Singh, Navneet Kaur, Prabhjit Kaur, Surinder Singh, Harpreet Kaur (GPC Bhikhiwind), and Jasbir Singh (GPC Batala).

Chandigarh, July 28:

Punjab’s war against drugs takes a significant turn as the state government is all set to roll out a pioneering drug prevention curriculum for students of Classes IX to XII in all government schools as part of the 3rd phase of the ongoing “Yudh Nashian Virudh” drive, announced S. Harjot Singh Bains, Minister of School Education, Punjab.

While addressing a press conference here at Punjab Bhawan on Monday evening, S. Harjot Singh Bains informed that Aam Aadmi Party National Convener Sh. Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann will launch the statewide drug prevention curriculum on August 1 at Arniwala in Fazilka district.

Sharing the details about the curriculum, he further stated that this pioneering program, created by the Nobel Laureate Prof. Abhijit Banerjee-led organisation J-PAL South Asia, will empower around eight lakh students in Classes IX to XII with prevention-focused skills to combat substance abuse. The curriculum will consist of 35-minute sessions, held every fortnight for 27 weeks, and will feature a mix of engaging content, including documentaries, quizzes, posters, and interactive activities. These sessions will focus on key areas such as myth-busting, refusal strategies, and resisting peer pressure, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions.

S. Bains said that the drugs prevention program will have a wide reach, covering 3,658 schools and engaging over 6,500 trained teachers to empower approximately eight lakh students from Classes IX to XII. This comprehensive program will ensure a significant impact on Punjab’s education system, equipping students with essential skills to say no to substance abuse.

This initiative is grounded in evidence, developed with leading behavioural scientists, and evaluated through randomised trials conducted in 78 government schools in Amritsar and Tarn Taran during FY 2024–25. These trials covered 9,600 students and, evaluated by J-PAL South Asia, yielded significant results. The trials demonstrated a marked improvement in addiction risk awareness, with 90% of students recognising the high risk of addiction from trying ‘chitta’ even once, compared to 69% in the control group. Additionally, the trial successfully debunked myths about addiction, with the belief that addiction can be overcome by willpower alone dropping from 50% to 20%.

Punjab’s drug crisis is a result of decades of systemic neglect and patronisation of previous regimes, pointed out S. Harjot Singh Bains while stating, “Punjab becomes the first state in India to implement a statewide, evidence-based drug prevention curriculum, while recognising that the battle against drugs begins from the classroom, not in police stations.”

Meanwhile, the Education Minister shared the details about the “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign launched in March this year. He said that the state government has taken stringent actions, including putting over 23,000 drug peddlers behind bars, seizing their properties, and confiscating over 1000-KGs of heroin. These efforts demonstrate the government’s dedication to tackling the drug menace and securing a brighter future for Punjab’s youth.

Khatkar Kalan (SBS Nagar), July 28:

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday handed over the cheque worth Rs 1 crore to the family members of ASI Dhanwant Singh who had attained martyrdom during the call of duty.

The Chief Minister handed over the cheque to the distressed family of martyr ASI Dhanwant Singh as a mark of respect for his services for the country. He said ASI Dhanwant Singh had attained martyrdom on January 18, 2025 while performing his duty at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this humble initiative of the state government is in recognition of the immense contribution of this son of soil towards maintaining law and order in the state.

Reiterating the firm commitment of the state government to help the families of the soldiers who sacrifice their life at the altar of the motherland, the Chief Minister said that it is the bounden duty of the Punjab government. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that financial assistance to families of these heroes is in consonance with the commitment of the state government to ensure the well being of the soldiers and their families. He expressed hope that this healing touch of the state will go a long way in helping the aggrieved family on one hand and securing their future on the other adding that it will also encourage the youth to join the Armed forces and Punjab Police to serve their motherland.

Chandigarh, July 27 – Haryana Chief Minister, Sh.  Nayab Singh Saini said that the smooth and efficient conduct of the Common Eligibility Test (CET) was made possible due to the coordinated efforts of officers and employees across Haryana. Such teamwork ensured that CET set a perfect example of efficient administration, he said, while interacting  with the reporters in Panchkula on Sunday.

Earlier, the Chief Minister participated in Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme at Panchkamal, Panchkula. He said that the monthly address showcases inspiring stories of people who have contributed to society and highlights India’s cultural values, providing encouragement to citizens nationwide.

Making a mention of the  CET arrangements,  the Chief Minister said that the government ensured hassle-free facilities so that candidates could appear for the exam in a positive and comfortable environment. Administrative officers, police personnel, and roadways staff worked in close coordination, while parents and local residents also extended support by setting up refreshment points for candidates at various locations.

This combined effort turned CET into a meaningful and well-organised event across the state, the Chief Minister added.

On this occasion, Media Secretary Praveen Atre and other dignitaries were also present.

Chandigarh, July 27 – Due to changes in the schedules of some chief guests attending Teej Mahotsav events to be celebrated today, certain modifications have been made.

Sharing more details in this regard an official spokesperson informed that, as earlier, the state-level main function will be organised in Ambala, where Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini will attend as the chief guest. On this occasion, Minister of Women and Child Development Smt. Shruti Choudhry will also be present.

Similarly, Development and Panchayat Minister,  Sh. Krishan Lal Panwar will attend the celebrations in Sirsa, while Revenue Minister, Sh. Vipul Goel will attend the function in Rewari, Education Minister, Sh. Mahipal Dhanda will attend the function in Fatehabad, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Sh. Shyam Singh Rana will attend the function  in Jhajjar, Co-operation Minister, Dr. Arvind Sharma will attend the function in Sonipat, and Public Health Engineering Minister,  Sh. Ranbir Gangwa in Hisar.

Besides this, Minister of Social Justice, Empowerment, Scheduled Castes & Backward Classes Welfare and Antyodaya (Seva),  Sh. Krishan Kumar Bedi will attend the  function in Bhiwani, while Health Minister, Ms.  Arti Singh Rao will participate in the programme in Narnaul.

Deputy Speaker, Haryana Vidhan Sabha Dr. Krishan Lal Middha will also attend the Teej celebrations in Jind.

Chandigarh, July 27 – On the second day of the Common Eligibility Test (CET), Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) Chairman, Sh. Himmat Singh reached the Gaur Brahman Central Senior Secondary School in the morning as the exam began and reviewed the arrangements at the examination centre. Rohtak Deputy Commissioner, Sh. Dharmendra Singh accompanied him during the inspection. Both officials interacted with candidates and staff members on duty and expressed satisfaction with the arrangements at the centre.

Later, Sh. Himmat Singh also visited the Rohtak Bus Stand to review transport facilities for candidates. He spoke to students appearing for the exam and even posed as a candidate to make a call to Dial 112 for assistance. Receiving a prompt and positive response, he expressed satisfaction with the service and encouraged students to make use of such facilities whenever needed.

Additionally, he inspected the shuttle bus service at the Rajiv Gandhi Sports Stadium, from where candidates were being transported to their respective exam centres. Around 100 buses have been deployed for the shuttle service, with the district divided into 13 routes to ensure smooth operations.

General Manager Roadways, Sh. Vipin Kumar was also present during the inspection.