Punjab to roll out drug prevention curriculum in govt schools: Harjot Singh Bains
Addressing a press conference here, Bains informed that Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal and chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will launch the statewide drug prevention curriculum at Arniwala in Fazilka district on Friday. He said this pioneering programme, created by Nobel Laureate Prof Abhijit Banerjee-led J-PAL South Asia, will empower around eight lakh students in Classes IX to XII with prevention-focused skills to combat substance abuse.
The curriculum will consist of 35-minute sessions, held every fortnight for 27 weeks, and will feature a mix of engaging content, including documentaries, quizzes, posters, and interactive activities. These sessions will focus on key areas such as myth-busting, refusal strategies, and resisting peer pressure, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions, he said.
Bains said this initiative is grounded in evidence, developed with leading behavioural scientists, and evaluated through randomised trials conducted in 78 government schools in Amritsar and Tarn Taran during FY 2024–25. 'These trials covered 9,600 students and, evaluated by J-PAL South Asia, yielded significant results. The trials demonstrated a marked improvement in addiction risk awareness, with 90% of students recognising the high risk of addiction from trying 'chitta' even once, compared to 69% in the control group,' he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
35 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
8.5 lakh govt jobs given in 8 years, 2.17 lakh recruited in police: Yogi
As many as 8.5 lakh government jobs were given to the youth of the state in the past eight years, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said on Sunday. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath distributed appointment letters to 1,374 assistant operators and 120 workshop staff selected for the UP Police telecommunications department. (HT Photo) The police department saw the highest recruitment, with 2,17,500 young people joining the force since 2017, he said while addressing the appointment letter distribution ceremony for 1,494 newly selected assistant operators in UP Police telecom department. 'Before 2017, nepotism in police recruitment weakened law and order in the state and corruption dominated the recruitment process in the state. Under previous governments, recruitment was marred by bribery and bias, ruining the future of the youth,' he stressed. 'Post-2017, police recruitment reflects transparency and public trust, not just numbers,' he added. He recalled how past practices led to riots, terrorist attacks and a climate of fear, citing incidents in Ayodhya, Kashi, Lucknow and Rampur. He personally handed over letters to several recruits during the event at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan. 'After the double-engine government came to power in 2017, the first major step was to make the recruitment process transparent and fair. The Police Recruitment Board was strengthened as part of this effort. As a result, Uttar Pradesh now ranks first in the country for police recruitment and providing government jobs,' he added. The CM added that transparency in recruitment also boosted investments, creating local employment opportunities for nearly 2 crore youth in their own districts. With support from outsourcing, technology, and policy-making, Uttar Pradesh has now emerged as one of India's fastest-growing economies, he said. He also highlighted that when the first recruitment was conducted in 2017-18, the state had very limited training capacity. Earlier, only around 3,000 police personnel could be trained, but now training arrangements for 60,244 recruits are being managed within UP Police's own training institutes. In the past eight years, police lines, headquarters, and residential facilities in Uttar Pradesh expanded rapidly, he said. The long-pending police commissionerate system, pending since 1971-72, was implemented by the double-engine government and seven new commissionerates have been created so far, improving both modern policing and accountability, he asserted. The chief minister said that UP Police at present has become a model force, symbolising a riot-free, law-abiding and safe state. He highlighted the Mahakumbh as an example of the police force's dedication and sensitivity, where their commitment and conduct ensured the event's success. He reminded the police that people notice not just their work, but also their behaviour. To ensure women's participation, 20% reservation has been implemented in the police force. Out of 1,494 candidates selected for the telecom department, around 300 are women, and this number will increase further in the future. He further said, '20% reservation will be given to Agniveer recruits in the Uttar Pradesh Police. This decision will allow trained and disciplined youth to join the police force.' Praising the telecom department's excellent work during the Mahakumbh, he said communication is the backbone of any police force. The CM said that as India moves towards becoming the world's third-largest economy in the Amrit Kaal of independence, the police must be both sensitive and strict. Uttar Pradesh finance and parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Khanna, principal secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad, DGP Rajeev Krishna, DG Telecom Ashutosh Pandey, DG Recruitment Board S.D. Shirodkar and DG PHQ Anand Swaroop were present on the occasion.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Su-57 Or F-35? Which Jet Could Power India's Next Leap In Air Dominance
New Delhi: India's skies are about to change. Not today, maybe not this year, but the Indian Air Force (IAF) is already preparing for what is coming next. It will mark a new era and a new generation of fighter jets. The clock is ticking. India is working on its own fifth-generation fighter jet project. The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) has already moved past the blueprint stage. Engineers are building and scientists are testing. But the finish line is still years away. That is why New Delhi is now weighing options beyond its borders. No fighter jet defines power like a fifth-gen stealth aircraft. China already flies the J-20. The United States has its F-35. Russia flies the Su-57. But India, which is a nuclear-armed regional power, has none in active service so far. The IAF knows the gap is growing. It knows the future belongs to low-observable jets that can fly deep into enemy airspace and return unseen. Stealth is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity. So, where does India go next? India's Jet of the Future Still in the Making The AMCA is a homegrown dream. It stands for autonomy and reflects capability. But the aircraft is not going to take to the skies before the end of this decade. That is the reality. This timeline has opened space for new discussions. Foreign platforms are being evaluated. India is not rushing. It is watching, listening and calculating. Among the contenders, two names often come up – the Russian Su-57 and the American F-35. Both are stealth fighters, which promise air superiority. But both come with complex political baggage. The government has not made its choice. Experts, too, remain cautious. No official confirmation exists about which jet, if any, India is truly leaning toward. F-35 Still a Name on Paper There were murmurs and headlines. Some even claimed India had shown interest in the F-35. But Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh set the record straight in Parliament. He said there have been no formal talks between India and the United States on the F-35. He referred to a joint statement made in February 2025, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with US President Donald Trump. In that statement, Washington said it would review its fifth-gen fighter export policy to India. But that was it. There were no follow-ups, no negotiations and no detailed proposals. For now, the F-35 remains outside India's hangars. Experts Flag Integration Issues Defense expert Dinakar Peri said India cannot ignore the fifth-gen void for long. The IAF needs it. But even a small batch of jets would come with cost, infrastructure changes and long-term support requirements. He said India's own AMCA project is making steady progress. It may take up to 10 more years, but it will be India's own. If New Delhi buys foreign jets in the meantime, the risks are resources, manpower and focus may shift away from the AMCA. A senior fighter pilot from the IAF, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said picking a jet is not only about its top speed or radar profile, It is about compatibility. Can it work with our current systems? Can it talk to our radar? Will it fit our airbases and logistics chains? He raised a flag about the F-35. It is embedded in America's digital warfighting ecosystem. Plugging it into India's mixed inventory, which is Russian, French and Israeli, will not be seamless. F-35 Might Be Overkill Peri also made another point. The F-35 may be the best fighter jet in the world, but the best is not always the best fit. India does not have the digital infrastructure that supports the F-35. Building that framework would take time, effort and billions. He also questioned how much the United States would allow India to modify or customise the jet. India uses Su-30MKI fighters. It operates the S-400 missile system. Its radars and guidance systems come from multiple countries. If the F-35 cannot 'speak' to these systems, its stealth and combat edge could be wasted. Could Su-57 Fill the Gap? If the F-35 feels too distant, some believe the Su-57 might be closer. Russia and India share decades of military cooperation. Many Indian pilots already fly Russian aircraft. The Su-57 would not be a cultural shock. But nothing is simple. Western sanctions on Moscow are real. Supply lines are not stable. Payments could get stuck. Production delays have happened before. Technical concerns have also surfaced. Trusting the Su-57 would still be a gamble. That said, the Su-57 does offer one potential advantage that Russia may be willing to share more technology than the United States would. The jet could integrate better with India's Russian-made airframes. Maintenance, too, may be easier. But even this path remains full of 'ifs'. The Sky Is Watching India has time but not forever. The AMCA is coming. But the wait is long. China is moving fast and Pakistan is watching closely. The geopolitical chessboard is shifting. The IAF has always flown a mixed fleet. It has managed French, Russian and indigenous jets with discipline and skill. But fifth-gen warfare will test every system, every radar and every pilot. The decision India makes in the coming months could define its air dominance for the next two decades. Will it fly stealth with America, partner deeper with Russia or wait for its own jet to rise? No one knows. But the sky will not wait forever.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
CM Mann to review progress of anti-drug campaign with Ludhiana officials today
Under the 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign, Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP's) Ludhiana incharge Balbir Chaudhary and zone incharge Sukhjit Singh of Nasha Mukti Morcha held an important meeting with administrative officials and police officials. The main objective of this meeting was to prepare for the upcoming meeting with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday and to review the progress of the ongoing campaign against drugs in the district. The main objective of this meeting was to prepare for the upcoming meeting with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday and to review the progress of the ongoing campaign against drugs in the district. (HT File photo) During the meeting, Balbir Chaudhary shared detailed information about the efforts being made by the Nasha Mukti Morcha in the district. He said that continuous work is being done to save the youth from drug addiction through de-addiction centres and awareness campaigns in Punjab. Sukhjit Singh highlighted the success of the ongoing activities against drugs and social awareness programmes at the Punjab level. He emphasised that the cooperation of every section of the society is needed to further strengthen the Punjab government's war on drugs campaign. In the meeting to be held with CM Mann on Monday, a report will be presented on the steps being taken by the Morcha to eradicate the drug problem in the state. Along with this, the effectiveness of government schemes for stopping drug trafficking and rehabilitating the victims will also be discussed. The meeting will discuss ways to increase the capacity of de-addiction centres, further expand awareness programs and strengthen the local police and there was also a discussion on increasing coordination with the administration. Balbir Chaudhary and Sukhjit Singh jointly appreciated the anti-drug efforts of the Punjab government and said that under the leadership of the CM Mann, the dream of making the state drug-free will soon be realised. They appealed to the entire society to participate in this campaign and make joint efforts to save the young generation from the evils of drugs. In-charge of 'Nasha Mukti Morcha' Ludhiana Rural-1 Manjit Singh Raikot, Ludhiana Rural-2 Hemraj Sahnewal and Coordinator of Halka East Sandeep Mishra and many other colleagues were present in the meeting.
