Garhwal Post Bureau
Hardwar, 26 Jun: The nationwide ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Saptah’ (Drug-Free India Week), observed from 17 to 26 June, culminated today in a mega National Awareness Programme at Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya (DSVV), Hardwar. The campaign, organised under the national theme “Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan – Viksit Bharat Ki Pehchaan,” witnessed a staggering participation of more than 1.31 crore citizens across the country through a massive series of community-led and awareness-generation activities.
The valedictory national event in Hardwar was graced by Dr Virendra Kumar, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, alongside Dr Chinmay Pandya, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, representatives of the Government of Uttarakhand, and other distinguished national dignitaries.
Highlighting the event, Union Minister Dr Virendra Kumar led a massive ‘Nasha Mukt Rally’ in Haridwar, which saw enthusiastic participation from nearly 4,000 citizens, youth, and volunteers, projecting a unified front against the menace of substance abuse.
On the occasion, the Minister administered the landmark ‘Pledge Against Drug Abuse’ and the ‘Ageing with Dignity Pledge’, reaffirming the government’s dual commitment to building a drug-free, healthy society and ensuring inclusive care for senior citizens.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Virendra Kumar lauded the overwhelming public response, stating that the success of the Saptah highlights the Government of India’s unwavering commitment to creating a drug-free society through a “whole-of-government and whole-of-society” approach.
A major milestone was achieved with the formal signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Akhil Vishwa Gayatri Pariwar. Under the umbrella of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) and the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY), this partnership will strengthen institutional frameworks for grassroots awareness, drug demand reduction, community mobilisation, and the promotion of the welfare of senior citizens across India.
Over the 10-day period, more than 1.31 crore citizens engaged in a wide array of activities, including Nasha Mukti Mitra registration drives, street plays (Nukkad Nataks), youth seminars, slogan-writing, e-pledge campaigns, painting competitions, and community yoga sessions designed to align health and substance-free wellness.
The programme recognised and felicitated outstanding-performing States, Union Territories, Districts, Grant-in-Aid institutions, and line Ministries. Special recognition was bestowed upon individual Nasha Mukti Mitras for their exemplary grassroots contributions, alongside the distribution of awards to the winners of various state-level competitions.
The grand finale at Haridwar witnessed a synchronised blend of hybrid participation, with thousands of students, youth, addiction treatment facility operators, and volunteers joining both online and offline from all corners of the country.
The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, through PIB Dehradun, has called upon all institutional stakeholders, educational organisations, local bodies, and the dynamic youth network of Uttarakhand and the nation to continuously carry forward the momentum of this movement to realize the foundational vision of “Nasha Mukt Bharat, Khushhaal Bharat” (Drug-Free India, Prosperous India).
