Shimla, June 16 -- Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu administered an anti-drug pledge to newly elected panchayat representatives on Monday, urging them to lead the campaign for drug-free communities. Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony in Shimla, where education minister Rohit Thakur administered the oath of office to leaders from 441 panchayats, Sukhu said that grassroots representatives serve as the vital link between the government and the public. Across the state, approximately 2,950 panchayat pradhans and up-pradhans took their oaths, ending a four-month period of interim administrative rule. They assume formal charge on Tuesday. The escalating crisis centres on 'chitta', an adulterated heroin variant that has gripped Himachal Pradesh, shifting the state's substance struggle from traditional cannabis to the synthetic drug. The chief minister said that the anti-drug drive has entered its second phase. "We have already given the campaign the form of a people's movement. The first phase has concluded. In the second phase, deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and other officials will visit schools to educate students and youth about the dangers of chitta," Sukhu told reporters. To foster a healthy environment, Sukhu called on local bodies to promote sports and cultural initiatives, adding, "I was scheduled to leave for Delhi, but I felt it was important that all newly elected pradhans and up-pradhans take this (anti-chitta) pledge." On Sunday, the chief minister reaffirmed that the war on chitta has mobilised all sections of society. Speaking at the Shimla Cricket Carnival at the Bharari Police Ground, he said that sports championships are deliberately being themed to steer youth toward positive, disciplined lifestyles. However, the government's strategy pairs community outreach with strict punitive measures targeting the financial network of traffickers. Over the past three-and-a-half years, the state has seized nearly Rs.51 crore in illegal properties belonging to the drug mafia. The government is also aggressively tackling institutional complicity; action has been taken against 123 government employees and police personnel linked to drug offences, culminating in the dismissal of 10 civil servants and 21 police officers. To ensure long-term accountability, Himachal Pradesh has made dope testing mandatory for all new recruits entering government service. For sustaining local engagement, Sukhu concluded by granting Rs.2 lakh to the carnival organizers and a 50% concession on cricket ground fees. Meanwhile, education minister Rohit Thakur announced a review meeting on June 27 alongside an allocation of Rs.3,744 crore from the 16th Finance Commission for rural infrastructure, noting that with 90% of Himachal situated in rural pockets, village-level basic facilities are paramount. He said 137 panchayats elected unopposed will each receive incentive grants of Rs.25 lakh to focus on sanitation, health, and clean drinking water, urging the new leaders to work diligently on the ground....