Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan: Over 16.5 cr Indians sensitised against drug abuse, says govt

New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) More than 16.5 cr Indians, including women and youth, have been sensitised against drug abuse under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, the government informed the Parliament.

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) is the nodal department for drug demand reduction in the country.

To fight the growing concern of drug addiction, DoSJE in 2020 launched the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA).

From 272 districts identified as most vulnerable, the NMBA is now extended to all districts of the country, said Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B.L. Verma, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

The national campaign against drugs aims to spread widespread awareness about substance use with a focus on higher educational institutions, university campuses, and schools.

“Till now, through the various activities undertaken on-ground, 16.5+ crore people have been sensitized on substance use, including 5.5+ crore youth and 3.43+ crore women,” the Minister said.

“Participation of 4.47+ lakh educational institutions have ensured that the message of the Abhiyaan reaches children and youth of the country,” he added.

To tackle the issue of substance use, DoSJE has been implementing the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) -- a centrally sponsored scheme.

It provides financial assistance to states, NGOs, and government hospitals for Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs), Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts, among others.

Further, DoSJE has also implemented a toll-free helpline for de-addiction -- 14446 -- for providing primary counselling and immediate referral services to persons seeking help through this helpline.

“More than 4.3 Lakh calls have been received, so far, on the helpline number,” Verma said.

DoSJE has also signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with several spiritual organisations like The Art of Living, Brahma Kumaris, Sant Nirankari Mission, ISKCON, Shri Ram Chandra Mission, and All World Gayatri Pariwar to support NMBA and conduct mass awareness activities.

It is also spreading awareness on substance use through official social media accounts of the NMBA on X, Facebook, and Instagram.

--IANS

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