The Central Government has intensified its efforts towards building a “Naya Bharat, Nasha Mukt Bharat” through expanded de-addiction facilities, large-scale training programmes and nationwide public participation initiatives. Alongside anti-drug measures, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has also advanced integrated village development and support for student accommodation.
Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Sudhansh Pant, said that more than 1.67 lakh master volunteers, community leaders and personnel have been trained in specialised addiction identification and caregiving workflows. According to him, the training programmes have enhanced community capacity to identify substance dependence and support individuals requiring treatment and rehabilitation.
To strengthen treatment infrastructure, the Ministry has established over 755 new de-addiction facilities during the past two years. These include District De-Addiction Centres (DDACs), Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) and de-addiction centres within prisons.
Pant said that under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR), financial assistance is provided to state governments, union territories, non-governmental organisations and government hospitals for preventive education, awareness generation, counselling, treatment and rehabilitation services.
Campaign Reaches 34.54 Crore Citizens
Highlighting the scale of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA), Pant informed that the campaign has so far reached more than 34.54 crore citizens, including over 13.70 crore youth and 10.64 crore women, through awareness and outreach programmes conducted across the country.
He added that more than 1.67 lakh Nasha Mukti Mitras (NMMs) have joined the campaign, helping strengthen community participation and grassroots engagement.
According to the Ministry, over 31.40 lakh awareness and outreach activities have been organised nationwide under the campaign.
Sixth Anniversary Witnesses Wide Public Participation
Pant said that the sixth-year celebrations of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan witnessed extensive public participation, reflecting the Ministry’s efforts to expand treatment and rehabilitation services, mobilise communities against substance abuse, promote village development and support students pursuing higher education.
He further informed that more than 34 lakh Nasha Mukti Pledges, including e-pledges, have been taken across the country.
About the NMBA Pledge
The NMBA Pledge encourages citizens to volunteer in supporting victims of substance abuse and to promote responsible behaviour aimed at creating a drug-free society. The initiative seeks to encourage people to stay away from drugs, foster a sense of responsibility and social awareness, promote unity and collective commitment among stakeholders and empower young people to actively contribute to a drug-free India.
National Mass Pledge Planned
Expressing confidence in the campaign’s growing reach, Pant said the Ministry aims to mobilise more than 10 crore citizens through both physical and online participation in the National Mass Pledge Against Drug Abuse.
He described the initiative as a potential game changer in sensitising citizens about the dangers of substance abuse and the objectives of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan. The National-Level Mass Pledge is scheduled to be held later this month to commemorate the sixth anniversary of NMBA.
The Ministry believes that the combination of community participation, expanded treatment infrastructure and sustained awareness campaigns will further strengthen India’s efforts to combat drug abuse and build a healthier, addiction-free society.
