Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

Why is in news? Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) - MoU signed between Department of Social Justice & Empowerment and the All World Gayatri Pariwar

Substance use disorder is an issue which has the potential to adversely affect the social fabric of the country. Dependence to any substance not only affects the individual’s health, but also disrupts their families and the whole society. Regular consumption of various psychoactive substances leads to dependence of the individual.

As per report of first comprehensive National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India conducted by Department of Social Justice & Empowerment through National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), AIIMS, New Delhi, Alcohol is the most common psychoactive substance used by Indians followed by Cannabis and Opioids.

To curb the menace of drug demand, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJ&E) has been implementing National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR), an umbrella scheme under which financial assistance is provided to State Governments/ Union Territories (UT) Administrations for Preventive Education and Awareness Generation, Capacity Building, Skill development, vocational training and livelihood support of ex-drug addicts etc.

Since 2020, the Ministry is implementing the ambitious Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) in all districts of the country with an aim to create awareness about ill effects of substance abuse among the youth, with special focus on higher education institutes, university campuses, schools and reaching out into the community and garnering community involvement and ownership of the Abhiyaan.

About the NMBA:

The Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment launched the website for the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) on the occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26 June 2021, which is observed worldwide to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving the goal of a sustainable world free of substance abuse.

The entire world is facing the menace of drug addiction which has a devastating impact on the addict, individual, family and a large section of society.

The launch of Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) is for 272 Districts across 32 State/Union Territories that have been identified as the most vulnerable in terms of usage of drugs in the country.

These vulnerable districts were identified on the basis of findings from the Comprehensive National Survey and the inputs provided by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

According to the National Comprehensive Survey conducted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, there are more than 60 million drug users in the country of which a large number of users are in the age group of 10-17 years.

Objectives:

Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan intends to reach out to the masses and spread awareness about substance abuse through various activities like:

Awareness generation programmes

Focus on higher educational Institutions, university campuses and schools

Reaching out to the Community and identifying dependent population

Focus on counselling and treatment facilities in hospitals and rehabilitation centres that have been geo-tagged

Capacity building programmes for service providers