Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched the 'Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan', a nationwide 100-week public participation campaign aimed at creating a drug-free India by encouraging youth to stay away from substance abuse and become agents of positive social change.

Launching the campaign through video conferencing, the Prime Minister said the initiative was not merely a movement for individuals but for families, society and the nation as a whole.

"The campaign we are witnessing today is for the individual, the family and society; above all, it is for the nation," Modi said, adding that a developed India could only be built with a healthy, confident and drug-free younger generation.

The Prime Minister recalled that the initiative was first introduced as a pilot project in Kashi last year and has now evolved into a nationwide mission. He said the campaign combines scientific awareness with spiritual values and has received the support of more than 125 spiritual organisations working towards a drug-free society.

Modi stressed that the fight against substance abuse cannot be won through individual efforts alone and called for collective participation. He noted that lakhs of young people across the country had already pledged to stay away from drugs and spread awareness in schools, colleges and communities.

As part of the campaign, awareness programmes will be organised every Sunday over the next 100 weeks. Activities will include sports events, walkathons, meditation sessions, cultural programmes, street plays, discussions, art competitions and community outreach initiatives to encourage public participation.

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who also addressed the event, said healthy citizens are essential for building a developed nation. Referring to Prime Minister Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat, he said empowering the youth and ensuring they remain free from substance abuse would play a vital role in achieving that goal.

The campaign witnessed participation from youth at more than 10,000 locations across the country and brought together educational institutions, National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers, MY Bharat volunteers, youth clubs, NGOs, industry bodies and over 125 spiritual organisations on a common platform to strengthen the nationwide movement against drug abuse.