Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the nationwide 'Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan' via video conference, with participation from over 1 crore youth connected from more than 28,000 locations across India. The campaign aims to create drug-free youth as essential for India's development goals, building on a pilot project initiated in Kashi last year that has now evolved into a national movement supported by more than 125 spiritual organizations through the Kashi Declaration roadmap.
The 100-week campaign will feature weekly activities every Sunday focused on art, culture, sports, meditation, spirituality, and service to spread de-addiction awareness. Participants include lakhs of students from thousands of educational institutions, volunteers from My Bharat platform, and NSS youth representing diverse regions and backgrounds.
The government reported intensified enforcement actions against drug traffickers, with multiplied arrests and seizures of drugs worth thousands of crores of rupees. The PM emphasized that drug addiction not only destroys individual lives but also weakens families, society, and national security, noting that enemies exploit drug trafficking to fund terrorism and target youth.
The campaign incorporates cultural and spiritual elements, referencing teachings from Guru Granth Sahib that warn against substance abuse. It encourages open dialogue in families, early intervention through recognizing signs like withdrawal, secrecy, and unusual financial demands, and utilization of rehabilitation centers. Educational institutions are called upon to initiate campus movements against drugs, while society is urged to respect and support those overcoming addiction.
Spiritual and social organizations are invited to take responsibility for leading activities during specific weeks of the 100-week campaign, with major events organized every Sunday to maintain momentum and nationwide reach.