Haryana CM Saini in Kotkapura: Haryana curbed drug abuse with strong resolve, Punjab failed to tackle menace
Haryana Chief Minister joins PM Modi’s nationwide ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan’ from Kotkapura; targets Punjab government over drugs and unemployment
Babushahi Bureau
Kotkapura (Punjab), August 2, 2026: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday claimed that Haryana had made significant progress in tackling drug abuse through sustained government initiatives, while Punjab had failed to effectively curb the drug menace and address unemployment among its youth.
Saini made the remarks while participating in a programme at Kotkapura in Punjab during the nationwide launch of the ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan’. Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually launched the 100-week anti-drug campaign and addressed young people participating in programmes organised at thousands of locations across the country.
The Haryana Chief Minister said keeping young people away from drug addiction was essential to achieving the vision of a developed India.
“Not only the youth of Haryana and Punjab but young people across the country must be protected from the menace of drug addiction to realise the dream of a Viksit Bharat,” Saini said.
Highlighting Haryana’s initiatives, he said the state government had been engaging young people through programmes such as Raahgiri, cyclothons and marathons to promote healthy lifestyles and create awareness about the harmful effects of drugs.
Saini claimed that Haryana had undertaken a sustained campaign against drug abuse and helped many young people move away from addiction. In contrast, he alleged that drug abuse had continued to grow in Punjab and that the state government had failed to provide adequate employment opportunities to the youth.
He further alleged that unemployment had adversely affected young people in Punjab and made them more vulnerable to drug addiction.
Targeting the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government and previous Congress governments in Punjab, Saini said successive governments had made major promises to youth and farmers but had failed to fulfil them after coming to power.
The Haryana Chief Minister said that if the Bharatiya Janata Party formed the government in Punjab after the next Assembly elections, welfare initiatives for farmers and young people would be introduced in the state on the lines of Haryana.
Referring to Haryana’s agricultural policies, Saini said the state government was procuring 24 crops at the Minimum Support Price and had introduced the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana for fruit and vegetable growers. Under the scheme, farmers are compensated when market prices fall below the prescribed level, he said.
He claimed that farmers in Punjab would also benefit from similar initiatives if the BJP formed the next government in the state.
Emphasising the need for public participation in the fight against drugs, Saini said drug addiction did not affect only an individual but also had serious consequences for families, communities, states and the country.
“A developed India can be built only when every young person understands the harmful effects of drugs, stays away from addiction and motivates others to remain drug-free,” he said.
He urged young people to take an active role in spreading awareness and supporting efforts to build a drug-free society.