Bhubaneswar: Odisha government Sunday pledged to transform the state into a completely drug-free state, with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announcing a 100-week mass movement to eliminate the drug menace.
Chief Minister made the announcement during a special programme held at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on the occasion of the launch of ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047’, a nationwide anti-drug campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from New Delhi Sunday.
Besides CM Majhi, Governor Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati, Sports and Youth Services Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, along with hundreds of students, virtually watched the national programme organised by MY Bharat under the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, which was addressed by the Prime Minister. Governor Kambhampati administered the ‘Drug-Free Youth – Developed India Pledge Campaign’ oath to all those present.
Describing the youth as the principal architects of nation-building, Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati made a passionate appeal during the state-level programme here for the creation of a drug-free society. He advised the young people to embrace sports, fitness, yoga, values-based living and community service as the best alternatives to substance abuse. Stating that Odisha has emerged as one of the country’s leading sporting hubs, he encouraged the youth to choose playgrounds and classrooms over drugs and realise their true potential.
“A drug-free society cannot be achieved by government efforts alone. Only if parents, teachers, social organisations, and especially the youth themselves emerge as the torchbearers of this movement can it be transformed into a path-breaking ‘people’s movement’,” the Governor emphasised.
Addressing the youth, CM Majhi announced that the campaign is not a one-day event but a large-scale social movement that will continue uninterrupted for the next 100 weeks, or nearly two years. It is noteworthy that, in the virtual presence of PM Modi, more than one crore young people gathered at over 10,000 locations across the country to pledge their commitment to building a healthy, disciplined, value-based and drug-free India.
Praising the PM’s visionary leadership, the Chief Minister highlighted that Gen Z and the youth are the primary builders of a Developed India by 2047. He warned that drug addiction has now transcended a mere health crisis; it destroys individual well-being, ruins family finances, and severely hinders the state’s socio-economic progress.
The Odisha government has adopted a Zero Tolerance policy to completely eliminate the illegal drug trade and syndicates operating in the state, he said.
Sharing details of Odisha Police’s crackdown, CM Majhi said that between July 2024 and June 2026, the police destroyed illegal cannabis cultivation spread over 63,720 acres, valued at nearly Rs 1,911 crore. During the same period, 2,576 cases were registered, 3,699 accused persons were arrested, and 432 tonnes of cannabis worth Rs 2,106 crore were seized. Besides strict law enforcement, the government is also strengthening treatment and rehabilitation centres for people affected by drug addiction.
The Chief Minister appealed to the public to immediately inform the police if they notice any suspicious drug-related activities in their locality.
IANS