Chandigarh, Oct 28 (IANS): Over 2.93 lakh drug addicts have been treated in out patient departments (OPDs) while 9,427 have been detoxicated as indoor patients in 24 drug de-addiction centres in Punjab in recent months, the government said Tuesday.

This was revealed in a report submitted at a meeting of the Punjab State Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation Board here Tuesday. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

"Under the de-addiction programme in central jails, 22,669 people have undergone complete detoxification," a government spokesman said.

Badal asked officials to ensure that 17 new rehabilitation centres were completed by February 2015.

Recent studies have indicated that drug abuse was rampant in Punjab, especially in rural areas.

Badal also asked the home department to finalise cases of releasing the addicts consuming small quantity of drugs within the parameters of legal provisions of the law during the de-addiction period.