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Punjab govt choking drug cartels’ money trail: Cheema
From March 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026, police registered 36,178 FIRs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and arrested 47,902 accused, finance minister informs assembly
Finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday said that the state government will not allow anyone to use ‘drug money’ to build mansions in the state.
Replying to Payal MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura’s query regarding the outcomes of the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ during question hour, Cheema said the government was hitting the cartels where it hurt them the most – their finances. He added that Punjab Police had recovered ₹17 crore in direct drug money, and more importantly, arrested 65 major operators, effectively dismantling illicit hawala networks in the region.
Detailing the action against drug trafficking, Cheema said that from March 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026, police registered 36,178 FIRs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and arrested 47,902 accused.
He said that 3,173 drug suppliers and distributors were arrested, and 2,276kg of heroin, 29 tonnes of poppy husk, 686kg of opium and 786kg of marijuana were seized. In addition, 68 kg of charas, 4kg of cocaine, 36kg of ICE and more than 49 lakh illicit pills and capsules were also recovered.
Cheema said that Punjab Police recovered 285 drones and confiscated 338kg of heroin being transported through these rogue drones, thereby cutting off a major supply route.
Emphasising the importance of convictions in ensuring long term deterrence, he said, “Out of 6,822 decided cases, 6,083 resulted in convictions. This 89% conviction rate is the highest in the country and has been made possible through modernisation efforts such as digital evidence collection and rigorous financial tracking,” he added.
Education dept trying to get insurance cover for staff: Bains
Education minister Harjot Singh Bains said that the education department was in talks with banks for life insurance cover for its employees in the state.
Bains stated this in reply to Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali’s question regarding the basis of the ‘discriminatory’ compensation of ₹10 lakh for the family of a teacher couple, Jaskaran Singh and Kamaljit Kaur, who died on duty in an accident during the panchayat samiti and zila parishad election of 2025. Ayali said that the couple had two young children who refused to take this compensation, asking whether the government would increase the amount to ₹2 crore.
The minister said that the amount of ₹10 lakh was announced by the chief minister and was in addition to the official benefits as per the department policy. “The government schools provide free education. As far as providing a government job on compassionate grounds is concerned, the children of the deceased are currently minors; their case can only be considered after they become adults,” he added.
‘Waterlogging in Abohar’
Abohar MLA Sandeep Jakhar raised the issue of waterlogging in Abohar tehsil, asking the state government whether it is planning any alternative crop for the kinnow orchards being uprooted due to the problem. He also asked whether the government was working with the central government to find a solution to various problems related to agriculture under the Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana. Responding to his query, horticulture minister Mohinder Bhagat said this was an important issue, and a project was underway in the Abohar area for horticulture development and to address the problem of waterlogging. He said the project was being implemented by the department of soil and water conservation. Under the first phase of the project, work had been initiated in 27 villages at an estimated cost of around ₹27.73 crore, while another 15 villages would be covered under the scheme in the second phase, he added.
