(The Gist of PIB) Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

(THE GIST OF PIB) Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

[July-2021]

Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

The Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment has launched the website for the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan(NMBA) on the occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June26th 2021.
The Day is observed worldwide to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving the goal of a sustainable world free of substance abuse.

About:

The ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan’ or a ‘Drugs-Free India Campaign’ was flagged off on 15th August 2020 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Nasha Mukt Bharat Annual Action Plan for 2020-21 would focus on 272 most affected districts and launch a three-pronged attack combining efforts of the Narcotics Bureau, Outreach/Awareness by Social Justice and Treatment through the Health Department.

Components of the action plan:

Awareness generation programmes;
Focus on Higher Educational institutions, University Campuses and Schools;
Community outreach and identification of dependent population;
Focus on Treatment facilities in Hospital settings; and
Capacity Building Programmes for Service Providers.

Need of the programme:

The Ministry has conducted the first National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India through the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi during 2018.
As per the report, Alcohol is the most common psychoactive substance used by Indians followed by Cannabis and Opioids.
About 16 Crore persons consume alcohol in the country; more than 5.7 Crore individuals are affected by harmful or dependent alcohol use and need help for their alcohol use problems
3.1 Crore individuals use cannabis products; about 25 lakh suffer from cannabis dependence.
2.26 Crore use opioids; approximately 77 lakh individuals are required help for their opioid use problems.

Role of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment:

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has been mandated to reduce drug demand.
It coordinates and oversees all aspects of drug abuse prevention including assessment of the extent of the problem, preventive action, treatment and rehabilitation of addicts, dissemination of information, and public awareness and is mandated to run de-addiction centers.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment would undertake intervention programmes in vulnerable districts across the country with an aim to:

1. Reach out to Children and Youth for awareness about ill effect of drug use;
2. Increase community participation and public cooperation;
3. Supporting Government Hospitals for opening up De- addiction Centers in addition to existing Ministry Supported De-addiction Centers (IRCAs); and
4. Conducting Training programme for participants.