The Punjab Government's ambitious Drug and Socio-Economic Survey has been completed in two districts: Moga, one of the worst affected by illicit drugs, and Fazilka. According to official data, all households in these districts have been covered. Statewide, data has been collected from 32.37 lakh households, about 53% of the target of 60.35 lakh.
District-wise Progress
In Mansa, 94.3% of households have been covered, while coverage exceeds 75% in Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, and Muktsar. In contrast, Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, and Ropar are lagging, with more than 60% of respondents yet to be reached. Officials in slow-performing districts attribute delays to enumerators being initially occupied with Census duties and reluctance among some residents to answer questions on drug abuse or government policies.
Survey Timeline and Analysis
The survey, launched in April, was initially scheduled to conclude by June 30. The deadline was extended to July 15 and is now likely to be pushed further to July 31, as several districts remain behind schedule. A senior officer stated that analysis would begin once data collection is complete and could take another two months. Findings will be presented to the Council of Ministers and might later be tabled in the Vidhan Sabha.
Objectives and Scope
The exercise aims to identify causes of drug abuse, assess the success of anti-drug campaigns, and design targeted interventions. It will also help validate welfare schemes for different socio-economic groups in the state. Around 22,330 government employees are involved in the survey. According to a report by The Tribune last month, Fazilka led performance rankings with 61.17% of its survey work completed, closely followed by Mansa at 60.07%.
