The Punjab Government today decided to honour the Panchayats of ‘Drug Free’ villages besides launching a ‘Special Anti Drugs Drive’ to make aware the people about the impact of drugs. Disclosing this here, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Rural Development and Panchayats Minister, said that he has issued the directions to the officers of his department to identify the villages completely free from Drugs and to prepare the lists of such villages. He said that the Department would arrange a special program to specially honour the Panchayats of such villages at Chandigarh headquarters to motivate the rest of villages against drugs. He said that the department would also initiate a campaign in villages having maximum cases of drug usage and efforts would be initiated to curb the trend of drugs in suchvillages. Rakhra said that 60 percent population of Punjab has been residing in the rural areas and it is call of the hour for complete elimination of drug trends from these belts. He said that to achieve this target the department has chalked out a special program against this social evil and it was decided to initiate the Special Anti Drug Drive through out the state, which would be implemented soon. He said that under this drive the Panchayats Department in collaboration with Panchayat Members would hold seminars to make aware the people against drugs. Giving a call to Punjabis to come forward against this social evil, Rakhra said that without cooperation of general public, it is impossible to eliminate such social evils. He also exhorted the Panchayats in Punjab to motivate the young generation towards sports.