The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will commemorate the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26 with a national event at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi, led by Minister of State B. L. Verma. The ministry, which oversees drug demand reduction, has declared June a month of mass awareness under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, positioning the campaign as a people’s movement.
To date, more than 157.8 million citizens have been sensitized through community outreach, including over 52.6 million youth and 33.1 million women. Over 431,000 educational institutions have participated, and 20,000 master volunteers have been trained across districts. More than 16.7 million students from nearly 100,000 schools and colleges have taken a digital drug-free pledge.
The NMBA mobile app and dashboard provide real-time monitoring, while social media and events like “Nashe Se Azaadi” and “NMBA with NCC” amplify youth engagement. The ministry has also partnered with spiritual organizations including Brahma Kumaris, ISKCON, and The Art of Living for mass outreach.
All de-addiction facilities are now geo-tagged, enabling easier access for those in need. The government reiterated that substance abuse is a psycho-social-medical issue requiring holistic action. States, Union Territories, and NGOs supported under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction have been asked to intensify awareness efforts until June 26, turning the campaign into a nationwide movement.
