Chandigarh, September 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Anganwadi Workers across Punjab are joining the state government’s Yudh Nashean Virudh campaign as Nasha Mukti Mitras, strengthening grassroots efforts to raise awareness about drug abuse, encourage early intervention and connect people in need with de-addiction and rehabilitation services.
At a state-level event held in Malout, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Social Security and Women and Child Development Minister Dr Baljit Kaur felicitated 20 Anganwadi Workers serving as Nasha Mukti Mitras for their contributions to spreading awareness about substance abuse.
With their regular engagement with children and families, Anganwadi Workers are being positioned as community-level ambassadors to educate people about the dangers of drugs, identify early warning signs and help individuals access support.
The Malout event also highlighted the government’s focus on sports and community participation as part of its drug prevention strategy. More than 100 sports kits containing hockey, football, volleyball and cricket equipment were distributed among youngsters from the district.
Addressing Anganwadi Workers, youth and community representatives, Dr Baljit Kaur said the Punjab government was expanding sports infrastructure to provide young people with healthy alternatives and help keep them away from drugs.
She said around 3,000 sports grounds were being developed across Punjab, while 500 village gyms, or pind gyms, were inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in January this year. She also referred to the fourth season of the annual sports festival, Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan, which was launched in Bathinda earlier this month to encourage greater youth participation in sports.
Dr Baljit Kaur said the government’s approach combined enforcement, de-addiction and rehabilitation with community-based prevention. While enforcement measures aim to disrupt the supply of drugs and treatment services support those struggling with addiction, sports, recreation and community engagement can help prevent young people from turning to substance abuse.
The Minister appealed to teachers, parents, youth clubs, panchayats and social welfare organisations to actively participate in the campaign. She urged young people not to abandon friends who may be at risk of drug use, but to support them and encourage them to seek help.
Schoolchildren at the Malout programme took part in poster-making and essay-writing competitions. Cultural performances, including Malwai Giddha and a play on drug awareness, were also organised to promote the message of a healthy, drug-free Punjab.
The initiative aims to build a local support network involving community health workers, schools, parents, panchayats, youth clubs and sports facilities. Anganwadi Workers, along with Village and Ward Defence Committees, are expected to play an important role in strengthening prevention efforts at the community level.
Through the deployment of Nasha Mukti Mitras, the Yudh Nashean Virudh campaign is seeking to extend its reach into families and neighbourhoods, where awareness, early intervention and community support can help address the risks of drug abuse.
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