CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Government on Wednesday started a drug and socio-economic census aimed to determine the magnitude of drug abuse, identify specific substances used, and assess the impact on socio-economic factors such as employment, poverty, and education levels in the state.
The exercise, which is expected to be completed within three months, involves 28,000 employees who will conduct the survey of 65 lakh families in the state.
The initiative aims to create a "scientific" strategy to combat drug menace by collecting household-level data and shifting the focus from enforcement to targeted rehabilitation.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the first-ever drug and socio-economic census in Punjab will play a crucial role in ensuring equitable and targeted policymaking. "The idea is to understand the drug problem and then make targeted policies which will have better outcomes," he said.
He added that the exercise aims to assess the living standards of all communities while maintaining complete confidentiality.
Sources said that the data collected in the census would help the government frame a better rehabilitation policy for drug addicts. Until now, the government's focus was on enforcement and this survey marks the shift towards rehabilitation of drug addicts.
The government hopes to find not just the extent of drug abuse in the state, but also the substances used by the addicts and their age, education and socio-economic status. It is learnt that a pilot study has already been conducted in 11 villages. The public has been very forthcoming about revealing information, hoping that it will help eradicate the drug menace, sources said.
"A dipstick test was conducted as there were apprehensions that the families may not be forthcoming due to the social stigma involved. But it came to light that they are so sick of the menace that they see everyone approaching them as a god-sent opportunity and want help,” an official said.
The state has allocated Rs 150 crore for the census and related de-addiction efforts for the 2026-27 financial year, which was announced in the 2025-26 state budget.
The Panchayats and Rural Development Department has been designated as the nodal agency for the exercise. It will coordinate with other departments to carry out the door-to-door survey. School teachers, including computer instructors, will be deployed as enumerators.
Drug menace is a politically contentious issue in Punjab. Earlier surveys and studies, including the Punjab Opioid Dependence Survey and research by the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh was conducted, which estimated that over 30 lakh people use some form of drugs.