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Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday met Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann at his residence before the presentation of the state Budget for 2025-26.
Earlier, Cheema signed the Budget copies ahead of the presentation of the state Budget. This year's budget will be the Aam Aadmi Party government's third budget after coming to power in 2022. The budget will be based on changes focused on development. As per reports, the budget will emphasise education, healthcare, and eradicating drug addiction. The Aam Aadmi Party is likely to take a strict stance on drugs in this year's budget. For the first time, a Drug Census might be discussed in the budget, as AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal had mentioned it in a rally a few days ago. Home Guards may be appointed to prevent drugs from entering the state through border areas. A separate budget may be allocated for drug prevention. The Punjab government may increase the number of Emergency Response Vehicles. Strengthening the Emergency Number 112 will also have a special provision in the budget. On the state budget, Congress MLA from Abohar Sandeep Jakhar said, "We should keep hope. If I talk about the Abohar and Balluana area, all our development works are pending. We hope that allocations will be made for us in this budget..." Meanwhile, shifting the strategy from broad enforcement to precision strikes against big fish as part of the ongoing war against drugs, the 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign was launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav. According to an official statement, since the launch of this Anti-Drug Campaign on March 1, 2025, the arrest of 3957 drug smugglers after the registration of 2248 first information reports (FIRs) across the state has been made and led to the recovery of large amounts of contraband, including 137.7 kg of heroin from the possession of drug smugglers. The Chief Minister and the Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav directed all the Commissioners of Police (CPs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) to identify and catalogue the main drug suppliers/peddlers in their respective districts within seven days. The statement also mentioned that the directive was issued through a stern letter and aims to systematically dismantle supply chains fuelling the state's narcotics trade. (ANI)
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