New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Nitin Nabin on Friday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s intense fight against drug trafficking, calling for a joint effort to build a ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’.
In a message on X, Nabin said, “On the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, let us reaffirm our collective resolve to build a drug-free, healthy and empowered India.”
“Under the leadership of Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the Government has intensified the fight against drug abuse through the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, stronger action against drug trafficking, enhanced border surveillance, nationwide awareness campaigns and expanded de-addiction and rehabilitation services,” he said on social media.
“Let us join hands to keep our youth away from drugs and strengthen the foundation of a healthy society and a Viksit Bharat,” he said.
Prime Minister in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ in December 2014 had highlighted how “The drug menace brings about the Three D’s. First D is Darkness, the second D is Destruction, and the third D is Devastation.”
The Government, since 2014, has been making concerted efforts to counter this threat, which has helped strengthen the actions and cooperation to achieve the goal of a society free of drug abuse, according to a statement by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah released the ‘Narcotics Control Vision Document 2026-2029’ and advocated a tech-driven, ‘ruthless approach’ against drug traffickers by narcotics control agencies.
Chairing the 10th apex-level meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) in the national capital on Friday, he said, “Our response must be intelligence-led. We need to adopt a technology-driven approach. We will have to fight using a network-centric strategy. We must move forward with a ruthless approach; only then can we achieve victory against this challenge,” he said.
To assess and know the magnitude of the problem of substance use in the country, a Comprehensive National Level Survey on the ‘Magnitude of Substance Abuse in India’ was conducted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) through the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, AIIMS, New Delhi, which was published in 2019, said a statement.
This survey highlighted the extent of the issue, identifying around 7.1 crore individuals engaged in substance use across the country, said a government document.
Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) was launched on August 15, 2020, by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment in 272 Districts identified as most vulnerable in terms of substance use, it said.
On August 15, 2023, the Abhiyaan was expanded to all districts of the country to target and involve stakeholders who might be directly or indirectly affected by substance abuse and those who are vulnerable to it.
The major stakeholders and beneficiaries of the NMBA are youth, women, children, educational institutions, civil society, and the community at large, it said.
(IANS)
