Lok Sabha Question No. 1559 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-07
Subject: Drug Addiction amoung Youth
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Prataprao Govindrao  Patil Chikhalikar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. +1559 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.12.2021

## DRUG ADDICTION AMOUNG YOUTH

+1559. SHRI PRATAPRAO PATIL CHIKHLIKAR:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- a) whether the Government has taken congnizence of increasing consumption of narcotic among the youth, if so, the efforts being made by the Government to save youth from the same; drug
- b) whether a strict nationwide campaign is the need of the hour to save the from addiction; and youth drug
3. (c) if whether the Government has fixed any time limit for launching of such a campaign? SO,`

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)

- (a): The Government is taking a sustained and coordinated action for arresting the problem of substance abuse among the This includes: youth:
- i.0 Launching of Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) in 272 most vulnerable districts under which a massive   community outreach is   being  done with the   help of about 8000 youth volunteers. More than 44 Lakh youth have been reached out under the Abhiyaan:
- ii Maintaining of (364) Integrated Rehabilitation Centres   for Addicts (IRCAs) not only for treating the drug victims but to provide services of preventive education; awareness generation; motivational counselling, detoxification/de-addiction, after care and re-integration into the social mainstream.
- Maintaining of (54) Community based Peer led Intervention (CPLI) Centres with focus o vulnerable and at risk children and adolescents. Under this, peer educators engage children for awareness generation and life skill activities.
- iv. Setting up and maintaining of (87) Outreach and Drop In Centres (ODICs) to provide safe and secure space for substance users, with provision of screening, assessment and counselling and thereafter provide referral and linkage to treatment and rehabilitation services for substance dependence ,
- (6 & c: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has already launched Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) in 272 identified vulnerable districts with an aim to create awareness about ill effects of substance abuse among the youth, with focus on higher education have launched Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan on ISth August 2020 in identified districts. The efforts are afoot to train responsible young population to increase community participation and public   cooperation in the reduction demand for   dependence-producing   substances and promote collective initiatives to prevent the usage of drugs in the first Major focus has been on Youth and Higher educational Institutions in this Abhiyaan. The following activities have been organized till now: special place.
1. As part  of the  Abhiyaan, emphasis has been   laid on the  participation of stakeholders such as women; children; educational institutions, civil society organizations etc. who may be directly or indirectly affected by substance use. special
- ii. Around 8,000 Master  Volunteers have been selected and trained to lead the Abhiyaan activities in the 272 identified districts
- iii. Till now through the various activities undertaken on-ground 1.27+ Crore people have been reached out so far
- iv. More than 44 lakh have actively participated in the activities of the Abhiyaan and spreading on-ground the message against substance use. youth
- The contribution of 29.S+ Lakh women have also been vital in reaching out to a larger community through the Anganwadi & ASHA Workers,  ANMs, Mahila   Mandals & Women SHGs
- vi: Across the   country till now; 13+ lakh students have been reached with events; competitions and sessions organized in 27,838+ Educational Institutions.
- vii. Social media has effectively been utilized to spread the message of the Abhiyaan online by creating handles on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram and sharing daily updates o them:
- viii: An Android based mobile Application has been developed to capture the data of activities happening on ground on a real-time basis by the districts and master volunteers This has been placed on the Google Store. App Play
- ix: A short film on the Abhiyaan; its objectives and the efforts of the districts has been made and released on social media.
- To celebrate 75 years of Indian Independence, Ministry has planned to declare 100 districts as Sensitized Districts' from August 2021 to August 2022 a8 per defined parameters 'Drug

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