Haryana leads Nation in educational institution participation in ‘Nashamukt Yuva for  Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan’

Chandigarh, Aug 4 -  Haryana has achieved a remarkable milestone in the ‘Nashamukt Yuva for  Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan’, launched virtually by Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi on August 2 across more than 28,000 locations nationwide. In the category of educational institutions, the state-level event hosted by Kurukshetra University recorded the highest participation in the country, emerging as the largest university-level programme under the nationwide campaign.

Held at the Kurukshetra University auditorium, the state-level event witnessed the participation of more than 3,200 students, youth and teachers, who collectively took the pledge for a drug-free India. The event set a new benchmark for youth engagement and public participation, making it the largest gathering among university-level programmes organised across the country.

Haryana Governor Prof. Ashim Kumar Ghosh graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Along with Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi's live address, the Governor administered the pledge for a drug-free India to the participants and emphasized that the nation's youth are the greatest strength in realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat. In his virtual address, the Prime Minister called upon the youth to transform the fight against drug abuse into a nationwide people's movement.

The Government of India had requested the Governors of all States to participate in their respective state-level programmes. In line with this, Governor Prof. Ashim Kumar Ghosh attended the Kurukshetra University event, encouraged the youth to become ambassadors of the anti-drug movement and urged them to spread awareness against substance abuse throughout society.

Under the guidance of Governor Prof. Ashim Kumar Ghosh and Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini, Haryana has transformed this national initiative into a mass movement. The State Government has resolved to sustain the campaign over the next 100 weeks, creating widespread public awareness against drug abuse and taking the message of a Drug-Free Haryana to every household in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat–2047.

It is noteworthy that the campaign was organised simultaneously at more than 28,000 locations across the country, where over one crore students and youth took the pledge for a drug-free India. Haryana earned national recognition by registering the highest participation among educational institutions and Kurukshetra University recorded the largest turnout among all university-level venues across the country.

*Sports Minister active leadership instrumental in campaign's success*

The success of the campaign was driven by the active leadership of Haryana's Minister of State for Youth Empowerment, Entrepreneurship and Sports, Sh Gaurav Gautam, with valuable support from the Education Department, Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, My Bharat, NSS, NCC, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, and other allied departments and organisations. Their coordinated efforts enabled Haryana to register the highest participation in the educational institutions category, while Kurukshetra University emerged as the country's largest university-level venue for the campaign.