Four prominent spiritual organisations – Adhyatm Vigyan Satsang Kendra, Chinmaya Mission, Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan and Hare Krishna Movement – have joined the government’s Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) to strengthen grassroots awareness, prevention and rehabilitation efforts against substance abuse.
The organisations signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in New Delhi on Wednesday. The agreements were signed in the presence of Ministry Secretary Sudhansh Pant, Joint Secretary (Drug Prevention) Sandeep R. Rathod, senior officials and representatives of the participating organisations.
Director (Drug Prevention) Astik Kumar Pandey signed the MoUs on behalf of the Department. The participating organisations were represented by Chandra Singh of Adhyatm Vigyan Satsang Kendra, Prema Vishwanath of Chinmaya Mission, Sadhvi Shitabha Bharti of Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan and Fateh Chand Sharma of Hare Krishna Movement.
Spiritual networks to support anti-drug efforts
The partnerships are part of the Department’s efforts to leverage the extensive community networks and grassroots presence of spiritual and value-based organisations to expand the reach of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.
Addressing the gathering, Sudhansh Pant emphasised the important role that spiritual organisations can play in advancing the vision of a drug-free India. He said collective initiatives undertaken with organisations already associated with the Ministry under NMBA had helped reach more than 34.42 crore citizens.
Pant urged the newly partnered organisations to use their extensive networks to spread awareness about prevention, recovery and the harmful effects of substance abuse, particularly in communities at the grassroots level.
He said collaboration among the government, civil society and spiritual organisations could help build a sustained social movement against drug abuse. Their involvement, he added, could also promote resilience among individuals and families, reduce the stigma surrounding substance use disorders and encourage people affected by addiction to seek timely treatment and rehabilitation.
The Secretary said the partnerships seek to combine spiritual strength, social responsibility and community mobilisation to ensure that messages of prevention, compassion, recovery and responsible living reach diverse sections of society.
Yoga, meditation and counselling to support recovery
The Ministry said spiritual and social organisations have already contributed to anti-drug efforts through mass awareness campaigns, volunteer mobilisation and value-based interventions. Their programmes have also incorporated approaches such as yoga, meditation and spiritual counselling to support prevention and recovery.
The government has previously signed MoUs with several organisations, including The Art of Living, Brahma Kumaris, Sant Nirankari Mission, ISKCON, Shri Ram Chandra Mission, All World Gayatri Pariwar, Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram and the University of Patanjali.
The Ministry said such partnerships recognise the ability of spiritual organisations to guide communities, promote disciplined and value-based lifestyles and strengthen resilience among individuals and families.
Anti-drug pledge administered
As part of Wednesday’s programme, Pant administered an Anti-Drug Pledge to representatives of the participating organisations. The organisations were encouraged to administer the pledge during their major programmes, public gatherings and other events to reinforce the collective commitment towards a drug-free society.
Three short films produced by the Ministry highlighting the harmful effects of substance abuse and the importance of rehabilitation were also screened during the event.
Participants were additionally briefed about initiatives available through the NMBA portal, including registration as a Nasha Mukti Mitra and taking the E-Pledge.
The Ministry said the expanding network of spiritual and social organisations would further strengthen public participation in the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and contribute to the broader goal of building a healthier and more resilient society.
