The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJE) being the nodal ministry for drug demand reduction has launched the ‘National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR)’, a comprehensive framework aimed at prevention, awareness generation, capacity building, treatment, rehabilitation, and social reintegration. To further strengthen these efforts, Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) was launched in 2020. This is in line with Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of creating a Nasha Mukt Bharat.

In a statement, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar called for collective and coordinated action from all the stakeholders including general masses, State and UT governments, line Ministries and the civil society. He said the Central government is committed towards creating a drug-free society through a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.

The Minister said that scale of the problem became clearer with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s first nationwide survey on the ‘Magnitude of Substance Use’ in India in 2019 adding that the findings highlighted that more than 7 crore individuals were affected by substance use disorder, including nearly 1.2 crore children and 58 lakh women.

Dr Kumar said that the fight against substance abuse has to be driven by awareness, people-centric interventions, inter-sectoral convergence, empathy and shared responsibility.

Secretary, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment Shri Sudhansh Pant said that over the past few years, the Ministry has expanded treatment and rehabilitation services with 768 de-addiction and rehabilitation centres across the country. The growing trust in these services is reflected in a remarkable increase by 294%, from 2.08 lakh (in 2020) to more than 8.20 lakh (in 2025) persons seeking treatment without stigma and prejudice, her added.

Shri Pant said that only through a Jan Andolan approach, we can pave a way towards a Sashakt, Viksit and Nasha Mukt Bharat where every individual is empowered, healthy and productive. He urged one and all to join hands and come together to pledge for a Nasha Mukt Bharat at https://nmba.dosje.gov.in/content/take-a-pledge and scan the QR code to register as a Nasha Mukti Mitr

The Secretary said that the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment calls upon all citizens, institutions, youth organisations, educational institutions, and community stakeholders to continue joining hands in this national movement and contribute towards realising the vision of Nasha Mukt Bharat, Khushhaal Bharat.

He said that the Ministry’s toll-free de-addiction helpline 14446 has received 4.69 lakh calls, serving as the first point of contact for individuals and families seeking assistance adding that the launch of NMBA App 2.0 supports States, Districts, spiritual organisations and other stakeholders in uploading field-based activities data under NMBA with real-time visibility including several newly introduced citizen centric features.

Last month, the Nasha Mukt Bharat Saptah, observed from 17 June to 26 June at Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya (DSVV), Haridwar, Uttarakhand witnessed the participation of more than 1.31 crore citizens through a series of awareness generation and community mobilisation activities including Nasha Mukti Mitra registration drives, seminars and webinars, training and awareness programmes for children and youth, street plays (Nukkad Nataks), skits, slogan-writing competitions, e-pledges, rallies, yoga sessions, signature campaigns, essay-writing competitions, painting competitions, and several other community engagement initiatives.

Representatives from States and Union Territories, line Ministries and Departments, Grant-in-Aid institutions, Addiction Treatment Facilities, and other stakeholders from across the country also joined the programme, reiterating their collective commitment towards building a Nasha Mukt Bharat.

EoM

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TAR/GA