Governor KT Parnaik participated in the virtual interaction with the youth of the nation and the launch of the Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from the Lok Bhavan in Itanagar on Sunday.
The prime minister launched the 100-week nationwide jan bhagidari campaign and addressed more than one crore young people from over 10,000 locations across the country, including educational institutions and youth centres in Arunachal Pradesh. The nationwide programme highlighted the critical role of the youth in building a drug-free, healthy and developed India and reinforced the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
Following the virtual interaction, the governor held discussions with officials and called for a sustained people-centric campaign against substance abuse. He proposed organising nasha mukt street shows every Sunday in the state for the next 100 days to create widespread awareness and mobilise communities, particularly young people, against the menace of drugs.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Sunday joined Prime Minister Modi’s virtual launch of the nationwide Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan from Tawang. Speaking at the launch, Khandu urged the youth of the frontier state to become active ambassadors in the movement against substance abuse.
The 100-week campaign, spearheaded by the Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) platform under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, commenced with over one crore young people across more than 10,000 locations taking a collective pledge to stay away from drugs and dedicate themselves to nation-building.
Launching the Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country’s youth must be mentally and physically fit, for which it is necessary for them to stay away from all kinds of substance abuse. He asked the country’s youth to take a pledge against substance abuse, saying drugs can give them a high for some time, but would make their entire career and personal life low.
The initiative will see weekly Sunday activities, including sports events, walkathons, cultural programmes, and community engagement campaigns to be held across all states and union territories over the next 100 weeks to ensure sustained momentum against drug addiction.
Various districts in Arunachal Pradesh, including East Siang, West Kameng, Upper Siang, and Lower Siang, also joined the rest of the country in observing Nasha Mukt Bharat, with the organisation of special programmes on campus to mark the occasion and reaffirm their commitment to a drug-free society.
The programmes included cultural performances and youth engagement activities that reinforced the message of unity, social responsibility, and collective action against drug abuse. Participants pledged to spread awareness within their communities and encourage others to adopt a healthy and positive lifestyle.
The programmes were attended by various officials, including deputy commissioners, SPs, HoDs, principals, headmasters, teachers, and students of GHSS, Town Secondary School, Parsing Secondary School, and VKV, who reaffirmed their commitment to building a drug-free society.
Addressing the gatherings, the officials highlighted the objectives of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on 15 August, 2020 to eradicate substance abuse through community participation, mass awareness, and rehabilitation. They urged educational institutions to regularly discuss the ill effects of substance abuse during morning assemblies and organise special classes.
The officials also emphasised the need for periodic drug testing of teachers and students, in coordination with the Health Department, as part of awareness, prevention, and monitoring initiatives.
The programmes culminated with the live telecast of the prime minister’s address under the Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan.
The district administrations, police, and health departments collaborated to organise the programmes, which aimed to sensitise young people to the harmful effects of drug abuse and substance addiction, while encouraging them to contribute actively towards building a healthy, responsible and drug-free society.
