Examiner Bureau | Srinagar:
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday launched the Jammu and Kashmir chapter of the ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan’, a 100-week nationwide anti-drug campaign aimed at mobilising young people against substance abuse. He also announced that the Union Territory would soon introduce a comprehensive rehabilitation and socio-economic reintegration scheme for victims of drug abuse.
The campaign was launched at a Union Territory-level function organised by the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports in collaboration with SKUAST-Kashmir. The nationwide initiative was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing the gathering, Sinha described India’s youth as the nation’s greatest strength and stressed the need to channel their energy towards nation-building, healthy lifestyles and social responsibility.
“The campaign seeks to inspire young people to stay away from drugs and actively contribute to the country’s development,” he said, adding that the fight against substance abuse must evolve into a people’s movement involving every section of society.
Referring to the recently concluded 100-day ‘Nasha Mukt J&K Abhiyan’, conducted from April 11 to July 20, the Lieutenant Governor said the campaign had emerged as a model for the rest of the country because of the coordinated efforts of the administration, police, educational institutions, religious leaders and civil society.
Highlighting the campaign’s achievements, Sinha said around 2,300 FIRs had been registered and 2,600 people arrested in connection with drug-related offences. During the drive, security agencies seized nearly 1,500 kilograms of narcotics.
He said authorities had also attached 331 properties worth approximately ₹200 crore belonging to alleged narco-terrorists and drug traffickers. In addition, more than 370 driving licences and 750 vehicle registrations were cancelled, while recommendations had been made for the cancellation of nearly 3,000 Aadhaar cards linked to individuals allegedly involved in drug trafficking.
Announcing a major rehabilitation initiative, Sinha said the administration would soon launch the Rehabilitation and Socio-Economic Reintegration Scheme for Drug Abuse Victims, 2026, beginning with pilot projects in two of the worst-affected districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
The proposed three-year programme will focus on medical treatment, psychological counselling, education, skill development, employment, social reintegration and long-term monitoring to support the recovery of individuals affected by drug addiction.
Describing substance abuse as both a law-and-order challenge and a social issue, the Lieutenant Governor said young people struggling with addiction should be treated with dignity and provided every opportunity to rebuild their lives.
He also called upon parents, teachers, youth organisations and volunteers of MY Bharat and Nehru Yuva Kendras to take the anti-drug campaign to every village, school and college across Jammu and Kashmir.
On the occasion, Sinha administered the ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva’ pledge to participants, reaffirming the collective commitment to building a drug-free Jammu and Kashmir.
