Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has submitted Rs 4.62 crore ‘State Action Plan for 2026-27’ to the Centre under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR), seeking approval to expand anti-drug awareness, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation efforts across the state.
The proposal, prepared by the Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) and submitted to the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, outlines a multi-pronged strategy targeting educational institutions, rural communities, law enforcement agencies and rehabilitation centres.
The largest allocation, Rs 1.65 crore, has been earmarked for preventive education and awareness campaigns.
The state plans to conduct anti-drug awareness programmes in 150 schools and colleges, with five institutions selected in each district, and establish Good Choices Clubs, also known as Anti-Drug Clubs, to reach about 150,000 students.
The campaign will include essay, debate, painting and quiz competitions, district-level rallies, marathons, walkathons and youth engagement programs in universities and medical colleges.
The government has proposed Rs 76.4 lakh for community outreach and early intervention. The initiative includes anti-drug committee meetings in all 314 blocks, awareness campaigns in 300 gram panchayats and the deployment of 1,500 ‘Nasha Mukt Mitr’ volunteers, with 50 volunteers assigned to each district.
To strengthen institutional capacity, the plan allocates Rs 25 lakh for training government officials and conducting sensitisation workshops for police and excise personnel in coordination with the Home and Excise departments. Treatment and rehabilitation activities account for Rs 61.4 lakh of the proposed budget.
The plan includes family counselling, relapse prevention camps in all blocks and vocational rehabilitation support for 120 recovering individuals, with four beneficiaries to be identified from each district.
An additional Rs 50 lakh has been proposed for statewide awareness campaigns through posters, leaflets, wall paintings, audio-visual content, radio messages and social media outreach.
To support implementation, monitoring and evaluation, the proposal sets aside Rs 84.2 lakh.
The funds will be used to establish a dedicated state-level programme management cell with three professionals, conduct district monitoring visits, hold quarterly review meetings and commission third-party evaluations by empanelled agencies.
According to the proposal, the action plan is intended to create a coordinated framework involving multiple government departments, educational institutions, law enforcement agencies and community organisations to reduce substance abuse and promote a drug-free Odisha.
The proposal also notes that of the Rs 1 crore previously allocated under the programme, Rs 90 lakh has already been released to district authorities through the SNA SPARSH platform to support observance of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2026, indicating that the state’s expanded anti-drug campaign is already underway.