5K Home Guards, Anti-Drone Tech to Check Cross-Border Smuggling

₹260-cr boost to govt's ambitious 'Yudh Nasian Virudh' campaign, first-ever 'drug census' to be conducted in Punjab next year: Cheema

- Ravinder Vasudeva

CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Bhagwant Mann government's flagship mission against drugs, 'Yudh Nasian Virudh', found a major mention in the budget, with the government announcing key steps and allocating Rs 260 crore to curb the menace.

Acknowledging that the problem of drugs was the biggest threat to the progress and prosperity of Punjab, state finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema also noted that the bulk of the drugs are coming from across the border.

"It is the primary responsibility of the Union government to halt cross-border smuggling of drugs and arms as the 50 km area along the International Border falls under the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force. Yet, nobody can deny that the (drug) issue is still prevalent. We have now decided to complement the efforts of the BSF by undertaking two initiatives to completely block cross-border smuggling of drugs," said Cheema in his budget speech.