J&K Intensifies War on Drugs: 9,000+ Outreach Drives Reach 4.5 Lakh People

Srinagar, Feb 13:
Jammu and Kashmir has recorded more than 9,000 awareness and outreach programmes under the ‘Nasha Mukt J&K Abhiyan’, with participation of over 4.51 lakh individuals across the Union Territory.
The information was shared during a high-level review meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Friday. The outreach campaign, led by the Information Department in collaboration with various departments, aims to curb substance abuse through awareness drives, rehabilitation efforts, and coordinated grassroots action.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary reviewed the progress and impact of the initiative and stressed the need for stronger digital integration and institutional capacity building. He directed officials to link the Nasha Mukt J&K portal with the National Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA) portal to ensure seamless data sharing, better visibility, and effective monitoring of activities.
Officials informed that apart from large-scale awareness programmes conducted in Panchayats, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), and educational institutions, 218 individuals have been successfully rehabilitated under the campaign. Additionally, 1.83 lakh bulk SMS messages were sent to participants to acknowledge their involvement and reinforce the anti-drug message.
Emphasising transparency and accessibility, Dulloo instructed that trained counsellors be mapped to educational institutions, Panchayats, ULBs, and health facilities through the portal. Their qualifications, training capacity, and schedules should be clearly displayed to ensure easy public access and improved coordination.
The Chief Secretary also asked the Health Department to design certified courses in de-addiction and counselling to build a skilled professional workforce. He directed IMHANS Srinagar to introduce diversified and certified training programmes and expand facilities in the Jammu division.
Describing substance abuse as a serious public health challenge, Dulloo called for a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen the counsellor base and enhance structured capacity building. He also urged departments to develop age-specific and profession-specific awareness content tailored for ASHA workers, Self-Help Group (SHG) members, youth, elderly citizens, government employees, police personnel, and prosecution staff.
During the meeting, a live demonstration of the Nasha Mukt J&K portal was also presented. The Chief Secretary directed that the portal be hosted on the State Data Centre to ensure improved security, reliability, and accessibility.