Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday resolved to make campuses in Jammu and Kashmir drug-free while suggesting incorporating an anti-drug curriculum in universities. He suggested that every student must be encouraged to take an oath to stay away from drugs at the time of admission.
“Every university should establish a 'Say No To Drugs Student Committee', supervised by faculty members, which will serve as an early warning mechanism,” he told a gathering of students and academics at the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), at Awantipora, Jammu and Kashmir, where he was addressing the ‘Viksit Bharat Yuva Connect Programme’.
The flagship initiative under the Viksit Bharat-Yuva Connect Programme was launched by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. In his address, Sinha lauded the transformative platform for youth engagement, which aims to bridge the gap between young citizens and policymakers while empowering youth to become active stakeholders in nation-building.
He said the initiative is a step toward fostering structured youth engagement and building a stronger link between young citizens and policymakers. According to him, universities must create a confidential reporting system and provide needy students with assured access to support via helplines like Tele-Manas.
“In addition to counselling and support systems, drug de-addiction content should be incorporated into the academic curriculum, Sinha added. Jammu and Kashmir is battling high drug abuse with an alarming surge in heroin addiction.
The official data suggested that over 1.12 lakh kilograms of narcotic drugs were seized and nearly 10,000 individuals arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act since 2018.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, in a written reply in the ongoing Parliament session, said that Jammu and Kashmir experienced an increase in narcotics trafficking, illegal cultivation and substance abuse cases over the past five years.
“Viksit Bharat Yuva Connect Programme aims to create a platform where youth can share ideas, engage in policy dialogues and be inspired to contribute actively to India's development journey towards Viksit Bharat,” he added.
The Lieutenant Governor encouraged the youth of Jammu & Kashmir to lead India's development journey and provide innovative solutions to the nation's pressing challenges.
“Youth will create a brighter future for Jammu & Kashmir and ensure long-lasting peace and prosperity. In this 21st century, despite constant change and challenges, it is our youth--our most valuable asset--who possesses the power to drive the socio-economic revolution. Jammu and Kashmir, brimming with infinite possibilities, is empowering its aspiring youth with abundant resources and opportunities,” Sinha added.