Fight narco-terror with technology, strict law enforcement, says minister

As the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) completed five years on Tuesday, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar and Governor Gulab Chand Kataria presided over an event held in this regard, along with Sukhwinder Singh Bindra, member, National Institute of Social Defence.

At the event, when asked about the narco-terror across the border that ailed India’s border districts, Kumar said: “It is a plan to weaken and destroy India’s youth and can only be fought with technology, stricter law enforcement and an alert society. We need to be create a social defence (system) with community engagement, and keep a watch on what’s happening around us.”

Held at Guru Nanak Dev University, the event saw over 10,000 participants — including school and college students, BSF personnel, self-help groups, spiritual organisations, youth clubs and NGOs — being administered a pledge against drug abuse.

Kumar and Kataria launched three digital portals under the initiative, including a National Drug Survey Portal and an NMBA mobile application for master trainers.

“The survey portal will have on-ground data on which states or districts in India are the most affected by substance abuse; data on active users, and those in recovery; and activities being done under the Nasha Mukt Bharat initiative. We want to use technology and human resource on ground to fight the menace,” the Governor said.

A special message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi was read out, in which he congratulated all stakeholders.

During the programme, Olympians from Punjab, master volunteers, addicts in recovery, and those who had been rehabilitated and were now contributors to de-addiction were felicitated.

Organised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in collaboration with the Government of Punjab, the celebration witnessed nationwide participation of over six crore persons through physical and virtual modes.

Kumar said national-level events were held in all states and union territories at more than 2,10,000 locations.

Delving into the key achievements of the campaign, he said there had been a 427 per cent increase in persons seeking de-addiction treatment (from 1.86 lakh in 2020-21 to 7.98 lakh in 2024-25).

As many as 5.72 lakh recovered persons were now actively contributing to the initiative, he added, saying de-addiction facilities had increased from 490 to 780.