The Department of Social Justice & Empowerment has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the All World Gayatri Pariwar, a spiritual organization, during the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) campaign. NMBA, an initiative by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, aims to combat substance abuse and create awareness about its ill effects, with a particular focus on youth, students, and communities. The MoU signing ceremony, held on September 22, 2023, marks an important collaboration in spreading the message of NMBA among various segments of society.
As per the first comprehensive National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India, alcohol is the most commonly used psychoactive substance in India, followed by cannabis and opioids. To address this issue, the Ministry has implemented NMBA, targeting all districts of India. The campaign has reached over 11 crore people, trained 8,000 Master Volunteers, and actively engaged more than 3.36 crore youth in anti-substance abuse activities.
Technology and social media have played a vital role in spreading the campaign’s message, including the development of an Android-based mobile application for real-time data collection. In addition, de-addiction facilities have been geo-tagged for public access. An essential aspect of NMBA is partnering with religious and spiritual organizations to enhance its reach. The MoU with the All World Gayatri Pariwar is a significant step in this direction.
During the ceremony, Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment highlighted the efforts made through NMBA, making it a mass movement. The Minister stressed the importance of participation by spiritual organizations and expressed confidence in the collaboration’s potential to prevent substance abuse and create a resilient society.
Dr. Chinmay Pandya from the All World Gayatri Pariwar commended the Ministry for launching a campaign against drugs. He emphasized the role of a supportive familial and social environment in preventing and overcoming substance abuse. With 5,000 centers and over 16 crore people connected with the organization, Dr. Pandya pledged their active participation in NMBA, contributing to a Nasha Mukt Bharat (Addiction-free India).
This MoU is expected to boost the NMBA’s implementation and advance the objective of creating a drug-sensitized India. Shri Saurabh Garg, Secretary for the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, also addressed the event.