Chandigarh, July 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Punjab Government is set to expand its Leadership in Mental Health Programme (LMHP), India’s first fellowship dedicated to tackling substance abuse, with applications for its second cohort scheduled to open in early August.
Launched in February 2026 under the Bhagwant Mann government’s Yudh Nashean Virudh campaign, the initiative currently has 13 fellows working across Punjab to strengthen mental healthcare services and support rehabilitation efforts for people affected by substance abuse.
The upcoming phase of the programme will induct 10 new fellows and seven Senior Associates, with the aim of creating a statewide network of trained mental health professionals covering all 23 districts.
Operating under the Department of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with the state’s Data Intelligence and Technical Support Unit (DITSU), the fellowship seeks to build leadership capacity in mental healthcare while strengthening evidence-based prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services.
The fellows, selected through a rigorous process, come from diverse professional backgrounds including psychology, public health and social work. During their two-year tenure, they receive specialised training in psychosocial interventions, relapse prevention, programme management, community-based rehabilitation and leadership. The training is conducted with support from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, which serves as the programme’s selection and knowledge partner.
Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said the programme reflects the government’s commitment to combining enforcement against drug trafficking with compassionate rehabilitation and prevention.
“Yudh Nashean Virudh is not just an initiative against drugs; it is a movement to reclaim Punjab’s youth. While strict action is being taken against drug peddlers and traffickers, we are equally committed to helping every victim of drug abuse return to a life of dignity and preventing young people from falling into addiction,” he said.
The minister emphasised that substance dependence should be addressed as a chronic health condition requiring sustained care rather than merely as a law-and-order issue.
According to the government, LMHP fellows are currently posted at district hospitals as well as de-addiction and rehabilitation centres, where they work with patients and families, facilitate access to treatment, support relapse prevention, promote community-based rehabilitation and help reduce the social stigma associated with addiction.
Officials said the fellowship is also helping strengthen service delivery, build institutional capacity and introduce best practices in mental healthcare across the state’s anti-drug campaign.
The government believes integrating mental health into Yudh Nashean Virudh will reinforce rehabilitation efforts by focusing not only on curbing the supply of narcotics but also on restoring lives, rebuilding families and promoting long-term recovery.
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