Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami Addresses State-level Event on the 5th Anniversary of the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami addressed the state-level programme on the 5th anniversary of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. The Chief Minister said that the youth must firmly say “no” to drugs and encourage their peers to do the same.

Speaking at the event organised at the Chief Sevak Sadan, located at the Chief Minister’s Camp Office on Tuesday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami congratulated everyone on completing five years of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. He said that, with the support of the warriors leading the fight against drugs, society is becoming capable of confronting this grave problem. He said that drugs are not just a bad habit, but a frightening challenge that hollows out society from within. This destructive tendency destroys a person’s consciousness, judgment, and decision-making ability, pushing their entire future towards ruin.

The Chief Minister said that today the spread of drugs is like a “silent war” at the global level, with the youth being its biggest target. He said that the young generation is the real foundation of the nation’s energy, innovation, capability, and progress. If this energy falls under negative influence, the pace of national development will also be hindered. This is why, in 2020, on the occasion of Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan and called upon the entire country to unite against this social evil, giving it the form of a mass movement.

Chief Minister Dhami said that inspired by the Prime Minister, the State Government is working in mission mode with full commitment to realise the resolve of a “Drugs-Free Uttarakhand” under this massive campaign. To prevent drug abuse, a three-tier Anti-Narcotics Task Force was set up in 2022. In the past three years, the force has arrested more than 6,000 accused and seized narcotic substances worth over ₹200 crore.

He said that the government is strengthening de-addiction centres in all districts of the state to curb drug tendencies, reconnect affected individuals with the mainstream, and support their rehabilitation. Currently, four Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts are operating successfully in the state, providing treatment, counselling, and rehabilitation facilities to victims of drug abuse. In addition, with the support of AIIMS Rishikesh, an Addiction Treatment Facility is also being run in the state.

Similarly, Anti-Drug Committees have been formed in educational institutions of every district, including aware students, parents, teachers, and principals as members.

The Chief Minister said that Uttarakhand’s proud cultural art form “Aipan Art” has also been linked to this campaign. Today, ‘Aipan’ paintings adorned with anti-drug messages are enhancing the beauty of educational institutions and public spaces. To keep the youth away from drugs and channel their energy in a positive direction, ‘Dagariya Clubs’ have also been formed in the state.

Appealing to the youth of Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Dhami urged them to strongly say “no” to drugs and inspire their companions to do the same. He said the government is working continuously, with an unwavering resolve, to make Uttarakhand a leading state of the country. But this resolve can only be achieved when the youth support this mission with their full energy, capability, and determination, stay away from such evils, and encourage others to stay away as well.

The Chief Minister also administered the pledge of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan to the youth present at the event and honoured the winners of the state-level speech and essay competitions organised in schools and colleges. The programme was attended by Cabinet Minister Ganesh Joshi, MLA Savita Kapoor, Chairperson of the Uttarakhand OBC Commission Sanjay Negi, Secretary of Social Welfare Dr. Sridhar Babu Addanki, Additional Director General of Police Dr. V. Murugeshan, Director of Social Welfare Dr. Sandeep Tiwari, and other dignitaries.

Department of Information & Public Relations