Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched the ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan’, a 100-week nationwide campaign against substance abuse, urging young people to become the driving force behind a drug-free India and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
Addressing a nationwide video conference attended by over one crore youth from more than 28,000 locations, the Prime Minister described the campaign as a collective national resolve aimed at protecting families, strengthening society and building a healthier nation, according to a PIB release.
“Today, all of us countrymen have united for a great and important resolution,” he said, emphasizing that a developed India requires a generation that is physically fit, mentally strong, self-confident and free from the menace of drugs.
The Prime Minister said the campaign goes beyond individual well-being and seeks to safeguard the future of the nation by ensuring that young people remain protected from substance abuse.
Recalling that the initiative began as a pilot project in Kashi last year, Modi said it has now evolved into a nationwide movement with the support of more than 125 spiritual organisations and several non-governmental organisations under the Kashi Declaration.
Commending millions of young people for taking the anti-drug pledge, Modi said the coming 100 Sundays would witness activities centred on sports, culture, meditation and community engagement to sustain the movement and expand public participation.
“The coming 100 Sundays will become 100 strong steps towards a completely drug-free India,” he said.
Addressing students, NSS volunteers and MY Bharat members, the Prime Minister described India’s youth as the country’s “Amrit generation” and said their energy, innovation and talent would determine the nation’s progress towards becoming a developed country by 2047.
Warning against the devastating consequences of drug abuse, Modi said addiction destroys careers, shatters families and weakens society. While today’s youth are excelling in fields such as startups, artificial intelligence, sports and space exploration, he cautioned that substance abuse could derail their aspirations and undermine the nation’s collective strength.
Drawing from India’s cultural and spiritual traditions, including teachings from the Guru Granth Sahib, the Prime Minister said society must not normalise or accept intoxication in any form.
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He also highlighted the availability of rehabilitation centres, counselling, yoga and meditation as effective tools to help individuals overcome addiction, urging families to seek timely medical assistance instead of allowing social stigma to prevent treatment.
“If a youth has mistakenly fallen into addiction, it does not mean that all their paths are permanently closed,” Modi said, calling on society to support rather than stigmatise those recovering from substance abuse.
The Prime Minister also appealed to colleges and universities to integrate anti-drug awareness into academic life and encouraged teachers to lead campus-based campaigns against substance abuse.
Concluding his address, Modi assured the youth of the government’s unwavering support, pointing to intensified nationwide crackdowns on drug trafficking, major narcotics seizures and increased action against drug syndicates.
Expressing confidence in the success of the campaign, he said India’s youth would safeguard their potential by remaining drug-free and lead the nation towards the goal of Viksit Bharat.
Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Mansukh Mandaviya said the launch of the campaign marked another milestone towards achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. He noted that the government has consistently placed youth at the centre of nation-building through initiatives such as MY Bharat, which has connected over 2.23 crore young people through volunteering, leadership and national service programmes.
Mandaviya said the 100-Week Action Plan and the Kashi Declaration, developed in consultation with leading spiritual organisations, had laid the foundation for a nationwide people’s movement against substance abuse. He expressed confidence that the campaign would replicate the success of mass movements such as Swachh Bharat and Fit India.
Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse, along with Governors of 26 states and Chief Ministers of 11 states, also participated in the nationwide launch.
