PM Modi Calls Gen Z ‘Amrit Peedhi’, Urges Youth to Lead India Towards a Drug-Free Future

New Delhi, Aug 2026 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday described India’s youth, particularly Gen Z, as the country’s “Amrit peedhi” and called upon them to harness their energy, creativity and innovation to help realise the vision of a developed India by 2047.

Addressing young people during the launch of the ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyaan’, Modi said the next generation would play a decisive role in shaping India’s future over the coming decades. He urged young citizens to stay away from drugs and protect their potential from substance abuse.

“In the next 20-25 years, you will give a direction to your lives. You will be the ones who will take India towards the resolution of Viksit Bharat till 2047,” Modi said, stressing that today’s youth would also be the generation that would witness and benefit from the country’s progress.

“The country needs your energy, creative imagination and talent. Hence, for the country and your own lives, keep yourselves away from drugs,” he added.

The Prime Minister said India’s young population represents a major national strength and warned that drug addiction does not affect only individuals but also families and society at large.

“When a young person falls prey to drug addiction, it is not just that individual who loses; a dream is lost,” Modi said. He added that addiction weakens the country’s overall strength and warned that hostile forces could attempt to exploit drug abuse among young people to undermine India.

According to the Prime Minister, the illegal drug trade can also be linked to broader networks that seek to finance destabilising activities. He therefore called for collective efforts to protect young people from addiction and ensure that they are able to realise their full potential.

“Drugs give you a high for a while, but they destroy your family,” Modi said, underlining the wider social consequences of substance abuse.

100 Sundays for a Drug-Free India

Modi said the campaign would transform the coming 100 Sundays into “100 strong steps” towards creating a drug-free India. The initiative will involve a range of activities aimed at encouraging young people and communities to participate in the movement.

These activities will include sports events, walkathons, meditation sessions, cultural programmes and awareness campaigns, among other public engagement initiatives.

Highlighting the spiritual and cultural dimension of the campaign, Modi recalled that the initiative had been launched as a pilot project from Kashi last year. He said the programme combined scientific awareness with the spiritual energy, cultural traditions and social commitment associated with the holy city.

The Prime Minister said 125 spiritual organisations across the country were working to spread the message of a drug-free society. These organisations have adopted the Kashi Declaration, a five-year roadmap for building a drug-free India that was adopted during the Youth Spiritual Summit in Varanasi in July 2025.

Modi said the participation of young people in the campaign had strengthened his confidence in their sense of responsibility.

“All of you have strengthened my belief that the youth of India is aware, socially conscious, and serious about their duties,” he said.

PM Modi Stresses Early Intervention

The Prime Minister also emphasised that tackling addiction requires compassion, timely intervention and professional support rather than social stigma.

He urged families not to conceal cases of addiction because of concerns over social reputation. Instead, parents and relatives should encourage those struggling with substance abuse to seek expert and medical assistance.

“Do not hide it behind the pressure of social reputation. Those who need help should seek support,” Modi said, calling for greater openness within families.

He also advised parents to maintain regular communication with their children and remain alert to behavioural changes that could indicate that a young person is facing difficulties.

Modi said signs such as becoming withdrawn, spending excessive time alone, hiding one’s face, returning home late at night or repeatedly demanding unnecessary money could indicate that something may be wrong.

He urged parents to pay attention to such changes and intervene before a young person becomes deeply trapped in addiction.

The Prime Minister also appealed to teachers and professors at colleges and universities to make students aware of the dangers of drug abuse alongside their academic education.

He said educational institutions have an important role in creating awareness and encouraging young people to make healthy and responsible choices.

The campaign, Modi said, is ultimately aimed at creating a collective movement in which families, educational institutions, spiritual organisations, communities and young citizens work together to protect India’s youth and strengthen the foundation of Viksit Bharat 2047.