Overview
- The Punjab government rolled out the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ pilot, which on Friday extended to 3,440 villages across 23 districts with one e‑rickshaw assigned to about 40 villages each.
- The e‑rickshaws use loudspeakers and information boards to spread anti‑drug messages, explain local rehabilitation options, and gather anonymous tip‑offs on drug peddlers and people needing de‑addiction.
- Village Defence Committees monitoring the pilot have reported higher public turnout at meetings and better two‑way communication between residents and authorities.
- Officials have set a four‑tier review process through June — assembly‑level, VDC/block, ministerial with civil and police officials, and a final review by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann — to assess results and set a roadmap.
- The pilot builds on earlier village volunteer drives and aims to boost reporting and referrals to treatment; key measures to watch are the number of tip‑offs, referrals to de‑addiction services, and outcomes from the June reviews.