Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi calls for drug-free India, urges youth to come up with powerful slogans

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for a drug-free India, urging youngsters, musicians, students, theatre groups and content creators to use their creativity to spread awareness about the dangers of drug abuse and promote a life free from addcition.

Addressing the 137th episode of "Mann Ki Batt", PM Modi said the national initiative ‘Nasha-mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat’ was gaining momentum an represented a collective resolve for the health, happiness, and future of the country's youth.

He said, "Drug addiction does not just engulf a single individual; the entire family and society have to bear the consequences."

Urging the youth to come up with a powerful slogan for the campaign, the Prime Minister said, “Can you come up with a powerful slogan for a drug-free India? Can our young musicians create songs that convey the message of a drug-free life? Can students and theatre groups write touching short plays that highlight the dangers of drugs while also showing the path to recovery? Our country has no shortage of excellent content creators. I urge them to create content in various languages that helps society in this endeavor. You can use your creativity as a medium for social change. Often, creative efforts prove more impactful than formal campaigns.”

PM Modi also spoke to Mumbai-based Krishna Seshadri, who has created a website to impart lessons on empires which, he said, have not been focused in great details in history.

Seshadri highlighted the Cholas, Pallavas, Karkota dynasty of Kashmir, or the Ahoms, who preserved their culture and value system in Assam for at least 600 years.

Modi also informed that the Centre’s PM SVANidhi scheme that provides collateral-free working capital loans to street vendors account for 46 per cent women beneficiaries. This means that around 35 lakh women across the country are expanding their businesses with the help of this scheme.

Drawing attention to cleanliness during the Amarnath Yatra, the Prime Minister said more than 400 metric tonnes of waste had been collected and processed.

He also highlighted an initiative under which dung from horses and mules used during the pilgrimage was converted into biogas, which was then used to light the ‘Swachh Jyot’.

"Cleanliness became a form of service and faith during this holy pilgrimage to Baba Barfani,” he said.