Religious organisations, government departments, and non-profit groups, including many from Mumbai, announced the establishment of a joint working committee on drug de-addiction among the youth and the publication of an annual report on 'Status of Drug Addiction in India'. They also passed a declaration 'Kashi Sankalp' to make India free of narcotics addiction by 2047 through collaborative action, sustained dialogue, and people-powered movement.
The announcement was made at the three-day 'Youth Spiritual Summit' in Varanasi that ended on July 20. Delegates at the meeting acknowledged that substance abuse poses a serious public health, socio-economic, and moral challenge affecting families and society. Agreeing that India needs a nationwide de-addiction based on the country's civilizational values and spiritual traditions within the goal of a developed society by 2047, the delegates signed a declaration, committing their support to the ongoing public movement against drugs.
As part of the programme inspired by the Prime Minister's call for a Jan Bhagidari Movement, the partners will launch a nationwide, youth-led public campaign, bringing together spiritual leaders, government stakeholders, and educational institutions.
The programme will include social media campaigns in collaboration with prominent voices in the local media. Other plans include the creation of youth-led anti-drug clubs and involvement of national initiatives including Skill India, Fit India, and Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.
The meeting decided that social organisations, educational institutions, cultural, spiritual organisations, and ministries related to these subjects will work on the suggestions related to this and divide them into short, medium, and long-term.
A total of 123 spiritual organisations, including the Brahma Kumaris, Chishty Foundation, Patanjali, Sufi Islamic Board, Ramakrishna Math, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Namdhari Sikh Sangat, ISKCON, Adarsh Sainik Foundation, and Vivekananda Kendra, are part of the programme. "The Kashi Sankalp has been finalised and it is the first step towards making nasha mukt yuva for Viksit Bharat," said Mansoor Khan, national president of the Sufi Islamic Board.
The joint working committee will comprise representatives from these groups and officials from the ministries of health, social justice, youth affairs and sports, electronics, information and broadcasting, education, art and culture, consumer affairs, excise, defence, women and child development, and National Narcotics Bureau.
