Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, Aug 2

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday urged young people to stay away from drugs and play an active role in the development of the country, saying India’s youth population was its greatest strength.

Speaking at a Jammu and Kashmir-level launch of the ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan’ organised by the Youth Services and Sports Department and Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir, Sinha said young people should become a force for development.

He said nearly 65 percent of India’s population was below the age of 35 and that 37 crore people aged 15 to 29 were eager to contribute to nation-building.

Sinha said the 100-day ‘Nasha Mukt J&K Abhiyan’, conducted from April 11 to July 20, had demonstrated what could be achieved through coordinated action by the administration, police, educational institutions, social and religious organisations and citizens.

Around 2300 first information reports were registered and 2600 people arrested during the campaign, while 1500 kg of narcotics were seized, he said. Authorities also attached more than 331 properties worth about Rs 200 crore belonging to alleged narco-terrorists and drug smugglers.

More than 370 driving licences and 750 vehicle registrations were cancelled, while recommendations were made to cancel nearly 3,000 Aadhaar cards, Sinha said.

He announced that the government would soon launch a three-year Rehabilitation and Socio-Economic Reintegration Scheme for Drug Abuse Victims, 2026, with a pilot project in two of the worst-affected districts of the Kashmir and Jammu divisions.

The programme will focus on treatment, counselling, education, skills, employment, reintegration and long-term monitoring.

The 100-week nationwide campaign, inaugurated virtually by Modi, will involve more than 35,000 MY Bharat youth clubs, Nehru Yuva Kendras, schools, colleges and industry organisations.