Nationwide 'Mass Pledge' Against Drug Abuse Held Under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan

The Minister emphasized the need for a collective societal effort to tackle drug abuse and urged students to lead the fight against drugs.

Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment (SJE), Dr. Virendra Kumar, led a countrywide ‘Mass Pledge’ against drug abuse at Modern School Barakhamba Road, New Delhi, today. The event was part of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA) and was attended by around 2,700 students and teachers from the school, along with senior officers from the Ministry. Ministers of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Ramdas Athawale and Shri B.L. Verma (joining via video conference), were also present.

The event saw participation from over 10,000 locations across the country, with more than 1 crore people taking the pledge and engaging in various awareness programs. This marks the fifth year of the NMBA, which was launched on August 15, 2020, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a drug-free India.

Dr. Kumar reminded attendees of the Prime Minister’s address from the Red Fort and outlined the campaign’s expansion to include all Indian districts from August 2023. He noted that over 11.26 crore people, including 3.55 crore youth and 2.35 crore women, have been sensitized about substance abuse through NMBA’s activities. The campaign has involved more than 3.40 lakh educational institutions, effectively reaching out to the youth and children across the country.

The Minister emphasized the need for a collective societal effort to tackle drug abuse and urged students to lead the fight against drugs. He stressed the importance of early identification and prevention of substance use.

MoS Shri Ramdas Athawale highlighted the government’s mission-mode approach to combat drug abuse and praised the NMBA’s achievements in reducing drug demand. He commended the students for their participation in the initiative.

Shri Amit Yadav, Secretary of DoSJE, stressed the economic and social impact of substance abuse on the nation. He highlighted that drug addiction drains the national economy and called for collective efforts to eradicate this menace.

In addition to the pledge ceremony, saplings were planted at the school under the ‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam’ campaign. Dr. Kumar, MoS Athawale, and Secretary Yadav, along with the school principal, students, and teachers, participated in this environmental initiative. Saplings were also distributed to students for planting at their homes.