Overview

• Punjab’s government began delivering the novel program in 3,658 schools under its third-phase ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ drive.
• Approximately 8 lakh Class 9–12 students will participate in 27-week, fortnightly 35-minute interactive sessions on drug risks.
• Over 6,500 teachers trained with J-PAL South Asia and behavioral experts will lead activities that bust drug myths and resist peer pressure.
• Pilot trials in Amritsar and Tarn Taran showed 90% of participants recognized single-use risks and reduced belief in willpower-only quitting from 50% to 20%.
• Earlier phases of the campaign achieved more than 23,000 arrests, seized over 1,000 kg of heroin and confiscated traffickers’ assets.