Six years after its launch, the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) has evolved from a targeted awareness campaign into a nationwide people’s movement against substance abuse. What began on 15 August 2020 in 272 districts identified as particularly vulnerable to drug use has expanded to every district in the country. As of 10 November 2026, the campaign has reached more than 35.84 crore people, including over 14.33 crore youth and 11.32 crore women.
The campaign’s expansion has been accompanied by a stronger network of treatment and rehabilitation facilities, greater involvement of educational institutions and community organisations, and the introduction of digital tools to connect citizens with information and support. More than 33.57 lakh awareness activities have been conducted in educational institutions, while over two lakh citizens have registered as Nasha Mukti Mitr, volunteering to support the national effort.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment describes this six-year journey as a shift from organisational participation to community ownership, making the Abhiyaan a Jan Andolan – a people’s movement.
Understanding the challenge of substance abuse
Substance abuse is not merely an individual health concern. It is a complex psycho-social and medical challenge that affects individuals, families and communities. Dependence on alcohol, cannabis, opioids and other psychoactive substances can have far-reaching consequences for physical and mental health, family relationships, education, employment and social well-being.
The constitutional basis for India’s efforts to address the problem is Article 47, which directs the State to endeavour to prohibit the consumption, except for medicinal purposes, of intoxicating drinks and drugs that are injurious to health.
The scale of the challenge was highlighted by the first National Survey on the Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India. Conducted in 2018 by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) of AIIMS, New Delhi, and released in February 2019, the survey estimated that more than seven crore people in the country were affected by substance use disorders.
The survey found that approximately 16 crore people consumed alcohol, of whom more than 5.7 crore needed help for harmful or dependent use. Around 3.1 crore people used cannabis products, with approximately 25 lakh requiring help for dependence. Opioid use affected about 2.26 crore people, while around 77 lakh needed assistance for opioid-related problems.
The findings also highlighted the vulnerability of children and women, with nearly 1.2 crore children and 58 lakh women affected by substance use disorders.
To address this challenge, the Ministry has been implementing schemes for the prevention of alcoholism and substance abuse since 1985–86. The National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) provides the broader framework for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, with the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan serving as its flagship awareness and community mobilisation initiative.
From 272 districts to a nationwide campaign
The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan was launched on 15 August 2020 in 272 districts identified as particularly vulnerable to substance use. The selection was based on inputs from the Narcotics Control Bureau and findings of the first National Survey on the Extent and Pattern of Substance Use.
The campaign was expanded to 372 districts in August 2022 and subsequently extended to all districts across the country from 15 August 2023.
Its central objective is to reduce the demand for drugs through preventive education, awareness, early identification, counselling, treatment and rehabilitation. It also seeks to address the stigma and discrimination faced by people affected by substance dependence, helping them return to society with dignity.
The campaign’s reach has grown considerably over the years. From approximately 1.4 crore people reached in 2021, its outreach increased to 23.74 crore by November 2025, when it completed five years. As part of the fifth-anniversary celebrations held in Amritsar on 18 November 2025, more than six crore people participated in events organised at over 2.10 lakh locations.
By 10 November 2026, the cumulative outreach had crossed 35.84 crore people. This included more than 14.33 crore youth and 11.32 crore women, demonstrating the campaign’s emphasis on engaging groups that play an important role in prevention and community-level change.
How the campaign is implemented
The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan operates through coordination among Central and State Governments, district administrations, educational institutions, local bodies, civil society organisations and community groups.
Following the ninth Apex Level Meeting of the Narcotics Control Bureau’s Coordination Committee (NCORD), chaired by the Union Home Minister, a three-year action plan for reducing drug demand was called for. A three-tier monitoring and coordination mechanism was also suggested to strengthen implementation.
At the State and Union Territory level, a Steering and Monitoring Committee under the chairpersonship of the Chief Secretary provides overall supervision. It is expected to meet quarterly and coordinate the work of departments dealing with social welfare, health, home affairs, education, youth affairs, women and child development, skill development, rural development and other relevant sectors.
The State-level committee oversees implementation of the State Action Plan under NAPDDR and NMBA, reviews progress against quarterly and annual targets, identifies high-risk districts and ensures that prevention and treatment activities are integrated with existing government programmes. It also reviews the availability and functioning of treatment facilities, promotes partnerships with voluntary organisations and educational institutions, and monitors reporting through the NMBA portal.
At the district level, a Drug Demand Reduction Committee chaired by the District Collector or Deputy Commissioner is responsible for preparing and implementing a district-specific action plan. It identifies vulnerable populations and geographical hotspots, coordinates awareness programmes in schools, colleges, workplaces and communities, and strengthens referral arrangements between educational institutions, healthcare facilities and treatment centres.
The district committee also monitors the functioning of treatment and rehabilitation facilities, reviews admissions and recovery outcomes, and conducts mandatory inspections of District De-addiction Centres, Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts, Addiction Treatment Facilities and educational institutions undertaking prevention activities. It is also expected to facilitate skill development and livelihood support for people recovering from substance dependence.
At the block level, a committee chaired by the Block Development Officer undertakes grassroots monitoring. It tracks awareness activities in villages, urban localities, schools and colleges, identifies local risk factors and conducts monthly inspections of treatment facilities and educational institutions.
These committees work with Panchayats, Urban Local Bodies, teachers, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, Self-Help Groups, youth organisations and local leaders. They help identify people requiring support, facilitate referrals to treatment services and assist in the rehabilitation and reintegration of recovering individuals.
States and Union Territories are encouraged to convene these committees regularly. The Ministry reviews implementation through monthly meetings, Chintan Shivirs involving State Governments and other stakeholders, and national conferences.
Funding and grassroots participation
The Ministry provides financial assistance of ₹10 lakh to each district in a financial year for activities under the campaign. Subsequent instalments are released against the submission of utilisation certificates and progress reports.
The implementation effort relies heavily on grassroots institutions and community networks. Panchayati Raj Institutions, local leaders, Anganwadi workers and ASHA workers participate in awareness and outreach activities. Volunteers associated with the National Service Scheme and Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) also contribute to the campaign.
The Union Budget has allocated ₹333 crore for NAPDDR in 2026–27. The revised estimate for 2025–26 was ₹420 crore, compared with expenditure of ₹268.32 crore in 2024–25.
Engaging spiritual and faith-based organisations
Recognising the influence of spiritual and faith-based organisations within communities, the Ministry has brought them into the campaign as important partners in drug awareness and prevention.
It has signed Memoranda of Understanding with organisations including Brahma Kumaris, The Art of Living, Sant Nirankari Mission, All World Gayatri Pariwar, ISKCON, Shri Ram Chandra Mission, University of Patanjali, Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram, Adhyatm Vigyan Satsang Kendra, Chinmaya Mission, Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan, Hare Krishna Movement and Bosconet (Don Bosco).
These organisations use their networks to conduct community events, school awareness sessions, bike rallies, competitions, mobile van campaigns, awareness runs, counselling and meditation sessions. Together, they have reached more than 7.72 crore people across the country. The Ministry is also working to bring additional organisations into the initiative.
NMBA 2.0: Using technology to strengthen outreach
Digital platforms have become an important part of the Abhiyaan’s implementation and monitoring framework.
The original NMBA mobile application was developed to collect information about campaign activities and display progress through a dashboard at the district, State and national levels. The NMBA website also provides information about the campaign, an outreach dashboard, volunteer registration and an electronic pledge facility.
The upgraded NMBA 2.0 mobile application was launched on 24 April 2026 during a Chintan Shivir in Chandigarh. It allows citizens to take the e-pledge, access awareness material, find helpline information and locate the nearest de-addiction centre.
The application is intended to make information and support services more accessible while strengthening the collection and monitoring of campaign data.
Monitoring treatment and rehabilitation services
Alongside awareness and prevention, the Government’s approach places emphasis on ensuring that people affected by substance dependence can access appropriate treatment and rehabilitation.
Under NAPDDR, the Ministry supports a network of five types of facilities: Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts (IRCAs), Outreach and Drop-In Centres (ODICs), Community-based Peer-Led Intervention centres (CPLIs), District De-addiction Centres (DDACs) and Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs).
As reported in the release, the supported network comprises 344 IRCAs, 71 ODICs, 45 CPLIs, 198 DDACs and 155 ATFs in Government hospitals.
IRCAs provide inpatient treatment, counselling and rehabilitation. ODICs offer screening, assessment and counselling, and connect people with appropriate treatment facilities. CPLIs use youth volunteers to promote early prevention, particularly among vulnerable adolescents.
DDACs bring services associated with IRCAs, ODICs and CPLIs together at district headquarters, making a range of support services accessible through a common facility.
ATFs operate in Government hospitals. The NDDTC at AIIMS has been entrusted with establishing 150 such facilities, while the Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, is involved in establishing facilities for the North Eastern States.
The Ministry’s NAPDDR Management Information System records information about beneficiaries at supported facilities, including registration, clinical assessment, substance-use patterns, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. This enables the monitoring of services and treatment outcomes.
The Ministry’s Project Monitoring Unit also conducts surprise inspections of centres. Continuation of projects and the release of grants are linked to satisfactory inspection reports. Organisations receiving grants must be registered on the NGO Darpan portal of NITI Aayog and recommended by the concerned State or Union Territory. Accreditation of grant-in-aid institutions is also being undertaken through the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals.
Growing demand for treatment and recovery support
The expansion of treatment services is reflected in the rising number of people seeking assistance. The number of persons accessing treatment and counselling at supported facilities increased from 2.08 lakh in 2020–21 to more than 9.11 lakh in 2025–26.
According to the Ministry’s Abhiyaan page, 39.91 lakh people had been treated and rehabilitated as of 10 November 2026. More than 6.68 lakh recovered users had also taken the NMBA e-pledge.
The experience of a beneficiary at AIIMS Guwahati illustrates how medical treatment, counselling and family support can contribute to recovery.
A 31-year-old graduate from Assam’s Kamrup Metropolitan district, identified as Amit in the case study, was brought to the hospital’s emergency department following a heroin overdose. He was provided opioid substitution therapy, treated for Hepatitis C and supported through relapse-prevention therapy. His family also participated in the recovery process, while the hospital’s Addiction Treatment Facility continued his care after discharge.
Within two to three months of recovery, he found employment and has remained free from substance use for more than a year. His medication is now being reduced under medical supervision.
The case highlights the importance of combining clinical intervention with counselling, family involvement, follow-up care and opportunities for social and economic reintegration.
Nasha Mukti Mitr: Citizens as agents of change
A key feature of the campaign is the Nasha Mukti Mitr (NMM) initiative, which encourages citizens to participate directly in drug demand reduction efforts.
A Nasha Mukti Mitr is a volunteer who registers through the NMBA portal to support the Government’s efforts to prevent substance abuse and build a drug-free society. The initiative aims to transform individuals from passive recipients of awareness messages into active participants in community-level prevention.
NMMs spread awareness about the harmful effects of substance use, encourage young people to stay away from addictive substances and help individuals and families connect with counselling, treatment and rehabilitation services. They also organise and participate in awareness campaigns, community outreach activities and pledge drives.
Volunteers can promote the NMBA pledge, logo, mascot and national de-addiction helpline number 14446 within their communities. Depending on their level of participation, registered volunteers can receive a certificate and an NMBA badge.
As of 10 November 2026, more than two lakh citizens had enrolled as Nasha Mukti Mitr. A Personal Dashboard, launched on 17 June 2026, allows volunteers to track their activities, access information, education and communication material, and take the campaign’s e-pledge.
The initiative reflects the campaign’s broader emphasis on community ownership, particularly through youth participation.
Awareness drives and public participation
The Nasha Mukt Bharat Saptah, observed from 17 to 26 June 2026 under the theme “Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, Viksit Bharat Ki Pehchaan”, was another major mobilisation effort.
It attracted 1.31 crore participants through pledge-taking drives, rallies, competitions, street plays and yoga sessions. The programme concluded in Haridwar with the extension of the Ministry’s MoU with the All World Gayatri Pariwar.
The campaign’s digital platform had recorded more than 46.73 lakh pledges as of 10 November 2026.
The Abhiyaan also focuses on strengthening prevention among school students. The Ministry has developed life-skills modules for students of Classes 6 to 11, enabling teachers to address life skills and drug awareness in classrooms and engage parents in the process.
Helpline services and access to support
Access to counselling and treatment information is an essential part of the campaign. The National De-addiction Helpline, operational since 1 March 2017, initially functioned under the number 1800-11-0031 and now operates through the toll-free number 14446.
The helpline provides round-the-clock tele-counselling and refers callers to the nearest supported treatment facility. It has received 5.10 lakh calls to date.
It is integrated with two other national helpline services that address related concerns. The Narcotics Control Bureau’s MANAS helpline, available at 1933, operates round the clock and allows citizens to report drug-related issues through calls, SMS, chatbot, email and the web.
Tele-MANAS, launched on 10 October 2022 under the National Tele Mental Health Programme, expands access to mental health counselling and care.
Together, these services provide channels for information, reporting, counselling and referrals for individuals and families affected by substance-related problems.
National Survey to provide district-level data
Reliable data is essential for identifying vulnerable populations and designing targeted interventions.
The first national survey, titled Magnitude of Substance Use in India, covered approximately two lakh households in 186 districts across all 36 States and Union Territories. More than 4.73 lakh people aged between 10 and 75 years were interviewed.
The survey also used respondent-driven sampling to reach more than 70,000 people dependent on illicit drugs across 123 districts.
The second National Survey on the Extent and Pattern of Substance Use has been entrusted to NDDTC. Unlike the first survey, the new exercise is expected to provide district-level estimates for the first time, helping authorities identify local patterns of substance use and direct resources towards areas with greater need. Its findings are expected in 2027.
Jammu and Kashmir: A coordinated model of intervention
Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as an example of coordinated implementation under the campaign.
As of 2 November 2026, NMBA had reached more than 1.26 crore people in the Union Territory, including 72.26 lakh youth and 54.04 lakh women. A total of 11,152 Nasha Mukti Mitr had enrolled.
The Ministry supports one IRCA, three ODICs, two CPLIs, six DDACs and 21 ATFs in the Union Territory. The national helpline has received more than 11,000 calls from the region.
Under the Nasha Mukt J&K 100 Days Abhiyaan, Addiction Treatment Facilities attended to more than 66,500 outpatients.
During a review of social welfare schemes on 22 October 2026, the Secretary of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment described the Union Territory’s coordinated, whole-of-government campaign against drug abuse as a model with potential for replication elsewhere.
Government Medical College, Srinagar, has presented a Circle of Care approach that follows an individual through admission, treatment, rehabilitation, reintegration and long-term monitoring. A proposed Rehabilitation and Socio-Economic Reintegration Scheme for Drug Abuse Victims, 2026, also outlines a three-year recovery framework.
Priorities for the next phase
Following August 2025, the Ministry identified six result-based priority areas for strengthening the campaign. These include training and capacity building of Nasha Mukti Mitr; development of evidence-based information, education and communication material; targeted interventions for vulnerable and at-risk groups; expansion of partnerships with faith-based and spiritual organisations; improved coordination with line ministries; and better access to quality de-addiction, treatment, rehabilitation and telemedicine services.
The Ministry is also restructuring NAPDDR following consultations with State Governments, non-governmental organisations, grant-in-aid institutions, experts and departments dealing with health, education and prisons. An expert committee is revising the scheme’s guidelines.
The second national survey, expected to provide district-level estimates in 2027, is expected to further strengthen evidence-based planning and targeted interventions.
At the third National Conference of the heads of the Anti-Narcotics Task Forces of States and Union Territories in September 2026, the Union Home Minister stated that the country would collectively work to uproot the drug trade by 31 December 2029. He also linked the protection of young people to the broader vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan complements this effort by addressing the demand side of the problem through awareness, prevention, counselling, treatment and rehabilitation.
How citizens can participate
Citizens can contribute to the campaign by taking the NMBA e-pledge, registering as Nasha Mukti Mitr, participating in local awareness activities and helping people affected by substance dependence access appropriate support.
* Take the e-pledge: https://nashamukt.dosje.gov.in/epledge
* Register as a Nasha Mukti Mitr: https://nashamukt.dosje.gov.in/nasha-mukti-mitr
* Access the National De-addiction Helpline: Call 14446 for counselling and assistance.
Six years after its launch, the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan has expanded from 272 districts to a nationwide campaign reaching more than 35.84 crore people. Its progress is reflected not only in awareness programmes and volunteer registrations but also in the growing use of treatment and counselling services.
The next phase will depend on stronger coordination between institutions, reliable local data, accessible treatment facilities and sustained community participation. By combining prevention with recovery and social reintegration, the Abhiyaan seeks to build an environment in which individuals affected by substance dependence can seek help without stigma and return to society with dignity.
(PIB)
