Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan Turns Six: National Pledge Planned

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said on 3 September 2026 that a National Mass Pledge Against Drug Abuse has been planned for this month. It marks the 6th anniversary of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan. The Ministry is the nodal Ministry for the campaign and wants to bring in more than 10 crore citizens, both in person and online.

How the pledge will be organised

Two high-level coordination meetings were held in the national capital on the same day. They were chaired by Dr Sandeep Rewaji Rathod, Joint Secretary for Drug Prevention in the Ministry. Director Astik Kumar Pandey and Under Secretary Arun Kumar Karn also attended, along with senior representatives of several ministries and departments. The meetings worked out how line ministries will mobilise officers, students, parents and volunteers. Pledge ceremonies will be held in affiliated offices, educational institutions, autonomous bodies, public sector undertakings and field formations. Railways, Defence, Civil Defence, Youth Affairs and Sports, School and Higher Education, Post, Police, the Central Armed Police Forces, NCC, AYUSH, Rural Development and Health and Family Welfare are among those involved. A uniform reporting mechanism was settled for submitting participation details.

The campaign's reach

The framework behind the campaign

The Ministry launched the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan on 15 August 2020 to curb the demand for drugs. It coordinates prevention, assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, aftercare, public information and community awareness. The strategy runs under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction, and it rests on the findings of the first National Survey on the Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India. That survey was conducted by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre at AIIMS, New Delhi. Under the plan the Ministry gives financial help to State Governments, Union Territories, non-government organisations and government hospitals for preventive education, awareness, counselling, treatment and rehabilitation. Citizens can volunteer by registering as a Nasha Mukti Mitra on the Department's website. The Ministry has also launched the NMBA 2.0 mobile application, through which a citizen can find the nearest de-addiction centre. The pledge itself asks people to stay away from drugs, to act responsibly and to help the victims of substance abuse.