– Ronita Torcato 

Under the ‘Addiction-Free Youth for a Developed India – 100 Weeks of Addiction-Free Youth Campaign’, a National Resolution Ceremony was hosted across Maharashtra on Friday, September 18, bringing youth together through collective resolutions, signature campaigns, creative engagements and youth-led discussions.

The event follows the formal launch of the Mumbai campaign by Maharastra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Worli Dome in July, aiming for a drug-free city in four years. The initiative aligns with PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’ vision.

Substance abuse among youth remains a critical public health challenge in India, with studies indicating rising trends in alcohol, tobacco, and drug use, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas.

The National Service Scheme (NSS) operational since 1969 under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) are key organisers of the Nasha Mukt Yuva Abhiyan’ to prevent substance abuse among youth.

NSS engages over 3.8 million student volunteers across 47,000 institutions in India and co-organised the event yesterday in 300 educational institutions. MY Bharat will help launch the Nasha Mukt Yuva Abhiyan on 20 September 2026 in 485 units.

1,47,798 people participated in 1,455 activities yesterday including a Rashtriya Sankalp Samaroh (signature campaigns and youth pledge taking).

The major part of the day was taken up by ‘Pledge Taking’. 320 activities were conducted, in which 45,082 people participated. The ‘Signature Campaign’ consisted of 407 activities, which saw a turn out of 42,443 participants. Street plays based on various issues had 8,197 persons attending while youth-led discussions and workshops had as many as 28,466 participants.

The campaign focuses on thematic phases ‘Mera Swasthya, Mera Abhiman’ (My Health, My Pride), ‘Fit Yuva, Vyasan-Mukt Yuva’ (Fit Youth, Addiction-Free Youth), and ‘Jeevan Kaushal Maha’ (Life Skills Month) to drive behavioural change. It will feature dedicated activities every Sunday over the 100-week span, including walkathons, cyclothons, sports leagues, yoga sessions, and meditation.

These events will be implemented continuously in the coming weeks across various institutions and youth centres in collaboration with spiritual organisations, NGOs, industry associations, and university bodies.

A high-level committee, chaired by Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburban, has been constituted to lead the Nasha Mukt Yuva Abhiyan across the city.

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