Kashmir Impulse Desk

New Delhi, Aug 2

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged India’s youth to stay away from drugs, saying substance abuse may offer a temporary high but could damage their careers and personal lives.

Launching the ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan’ virtually, Modi called on young people to take a pledge against substance abuse and said a healthy and confident youth population was essential to India’s development goals.

He said drug trafficking was also being used by enemy countries as part of terror plans because of the strategic importance of India’s youth.

Modi said people recovering from addiction should not be stigmatised but respected and given a second chance. Families, he added, should openly address addiction and seek medical and expert help rather than conceal it because of social pressure.

The campaign will run for 100 weeks, with activities including sports, art, culture, meditation, spirituality and community service organised every Sunday to spread awareness about de-addiction.

Modi said the government was taking strict action against drug traffickers, with arrests increasing and narcotics worth thousands of crores of rupees seized.

The campaign aims to mobilise young people as ambassadors of positive social change. Activities will include sports events, walkathons, cultural programmes, awareness drives, street plays, discussions, art competitions and community initiatives.

Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan was launched in 2020 in line with Modi’s vision of a drug-free India.