Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday gave in-principle approval for launching a pilot project in the border districts of Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Fazilka to strengthen psychosocial care alongside the existing medical treatment of people battling drug addiction at OOAT (Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment) Clinics and jails in Gurdaspur and Kapurthala.

The decision to this effect was taken during a meeting between the Chief Minister and a delegation of the Art of Living Foundation here today.

Chairing the meeting, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The initiative will introduce an ‘Art of Living’-based spiritual wellness programme aimed at bridging the crucial gap between medication-based treatment and sustained psychosocial rehabilitation. Although Punjab has expanded access to medication for people affected by drug addiction, retaining patients in treatment during the initial months remains a major challenge.”

The Chief Minister stated, “Along with medication, it is equally important to strengthen the mental resolve of a person undergoing de-addiction. De-addiction cannot be confined merely to medical treatment, as it is also a battle involving emotions and willpower. The state government is committed to helping every person fighting addiction move towards a dignified and purposeful life and achieve complete rehabilitation.”

He said, “The pilot wellness programme will complement the existing clinical treatment and will continue to be implemented with the support of medical treatment staff. It has been designed in such a manner that trained local personnel will gradually take over its implementation, ensuring its sustained operation without dependence on external support.”

“This initiative will broaden the fight against drugs beyond legal enforcement by placing greater emphasis on rehabilitation, relapse prevention, community participation and long-term recovery,” he said.

The Chief Minister said, “Punjab will continue its fight against drugs by using every available means: medical treatment, counselling, rehabilitation, community support and stringent legal action. Our objective is clear: not merely to bring people into treatment, but also to help them remain in treatment and return to a healthy life with self-respect and dignity.”

He said, “The state government has already broken the backbone of the drug trafficking network by choking the supply chain and sending traffickers behind bars. The next crucial step is to ensure timely and effective rehabilitation of people affected by drug addiction so that they can lead their lives with self-respect and dignity.”

Meanwhile, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann asked the Art of Living Foundation to undertake a pilot project in Mansa and Sangrur districts to explore and formulate comprehensive strategies for groundwater recharge and conservation. “The initiative will initially be implemented in Mansa and Sangrur before being expanded across the state. It is essential to conserve every drop of groundwater so that this invaluable gift of nature can be safeguarded for future generations,” he said.

The Chief Minister said, “The Art of Living Foundation should ensure coordination among various government departments during the awareness campaign so that farmers, youth, students and all other sections of society can be reached.”

He said, “The state government has already achieved significant success towards ensuring long-term water security and climate resilience. Safeguarding Punjab’s declining groundwater level remains one of the government’s foremost priorities.”

Highlighting the importance of groundwater conservation, he said, “The government has established an extensive network of watercourses and distributaries across Punjab to maximise the use of canal water. We have laid 14,000 kilometres of pipelines. While only 22% of irrigation water used to come from canals when our government assumed office, canal water utilisation for agriculture has now increased to 88%.”

Sharing the results of the transformation of canal irrigation infrastructure, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “In 2022, as many as 166 blocks in the state were facing critical groundwater stress, while this number has declined to 152 in 2026. Of these 152 blocks, 90 are continuously moving towards improvement, with the groundwater level rising by one to one-and-a-half metres in these areas. This is highly encouraging.”

The Chief Minister said, “Paddy is not Punjab’s staple food, yet the state continues to produce around 18 million metric tonnes of paddy every year for the nation’s food reserves.”

He said, “Punjab’s fight for water security is a fight for the future of our state. The government will continue to strengthen canal irrigation, promote conservation and ensure that every possible step is taken to protect Punjab’s precious groundwater for future generations.”

Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha and other senior officials were present on the occasion.

From the Art of Living Foundation, Chairman of Vyakti Vikas Kendra India, Brahmachari Pragya Chaitanya, along with other representatives, attended the meeting.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has urged the Centre to urgently clear foodgrain stocks from the State before the peak arrival of paddy, stressing that adequate storage space must be ensured to facilitate smooth procurement and prevent any difficulties for farmers in mandis. In a letter to Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi, the Chief Minister sought immediate movement of 6 LMT (Lakh Metric Ton) rice by October 10 and 15 LMT wheat during October, pointing out that nearly 40 LMT wheat stocks are occupying space at rice mills and mandi yards, with around 17 LMT still lying there. He stressed that these stocks must be cleared to create adequate space for incoming paddy and ensure that farmers can bring their produce to mandis without facing storage-related hurdles.

In the letter, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann reminded Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi that Punjab had requested the movement of 15 LMT rice and 10-12 LMT wheat during September 2026 to complete the delivery of rice from KMS 2025-26 and clear wheat stocks lying in rice mills and mandi yards before the start of KMS 2026-27. “However, only 8.3 LMT rice and 4.3 LMT wheat has been moved out of the State from 1st to 29th September 2026,” noted the Chief Minister.

He pointed out, “In this regard, it is apprised that due to persistent shortage of storage space with the Food Corporation of India (FCI), only 99.50 LMTs (94%) Custom Milled Rice of Kharif Marketing Season 2025-26 could be delivered till today, i.e., 29th September, 2026, against the due quantity of 105.64 LMT and nearly 6 LMTs is still balance to be delivered.”

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “With the next Kharif Marketing Season commencing from tomorrow, i.e. October 1st, 2026 and peak arrivals expected around 10th October 2026, delivery of all pending rice to FCI by then is of paramount importance so as to avoid carry over of balance paddy stocks in the next Kharif season and also to prevent complications in stock accounting and recycling of paddy/rice.”

The Chief Minister said, “Delay in milling is already causing unrest amongst the millers and if the delivery of rice goes beyond mid-October, the rice millers may not come forward for storage & milling of paddy and such a scenario may result in unrest amongst other stakeholders also, especially farmers.”

He said, “Though the State is making all out efforts to ensure timely completion of rice delivery, movement of 6 LMT rice stocks from 1st October to 10th October is urgently required to achieve the same.”

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann further highlighted the severe shortage of wheat storage space, saying, “It is pertinent to mention here that due to shortage of space for storage of wheat in the State, nearly 40 LMT wheat stocks procured during RMS 2026-27 were stored at rice mills and mandi yards with the premise that these stocks would be moved by Sept/Oct mid 2026.”

The Chief Minister said, “However, due to much slow pace of liquidation of wheat from the State from June to September 2026, nearly 17 LMT wheat of RMS 2026-27 is still lying in rice mills & mandi yards as on date.”

He cautioned, “If these wheat stocks are not moved, as a natural consequence, it will prevent farmers from unloading their produce in mandis while there will not be enough space in the rice mills for storage of paddy, which would disrupt smooth procurement operations.”

He further said, “Such a scenario may lead to a Law & Order situation in the State at the time of peak arrivals of paddy during KMS 2026-27.”

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said Punjab had repeatedly requested the Centre for adequate monthly movement of foodgrains, stating, “It is pertinent to mention here that State has been making repeated requests since June’26 to provide at least 10 LMT movement of wheat & rice every month, however, the actual movement of wheat and rice from June to September 2026 has only been as follows.”

According to the figures included in the Chief Minister’s letter, the movement during June 2026 stood at 11.91 LMT, comprising 6.55 LMT rice and 5.36 LMT wheat. During July, the total movement was 11.60 LMT, comprising 6.70 LMT rice and 4.90 LMT wheat. In August, 12.72 LMT was moved, including 7.70 LMT rice and 5.02 LMT wheat, while during September up to September 29, the movement stood at 12.60 LMT, comprising 8.30 LMT rice and 4.30 LMT wheat.

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “As such, the wheat stocks stored in rice mills & mandi yards are required to be urgently moved out during October 2026 so as to create space for procurement and storage of paddy during KMS 2026-27.”

He added, “The rice millers, on the pretext of space crunch in their premises, may not come forward for allotment/storage and milling of paddy of KMS 2026-27.”

The Chief Minister therefore made a direct request to the Union Minister, stating, “I may thus request you for your personal indulgence for issuance of necessary directions to the concerned officials of Department of Food & Public Distribution and FCI, HQs to provide 6 LMT movement of rice from 1st October to 10th October and movement of 15 LMT wheat during the month of October 2026 to the State of Punjab.”

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the requested movement was necessary “so as to ensure smooth procurement operations during KMS 2026-27 and to avoid any untoward/law & order situation in this sensitive border State.”