If youth remain drug-free both state nation will progress says Delhi Social Welfare Minister

New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) Delhi's Social Welfare Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh on Wednesday said the city government is now extending full cooperation to the Centre's 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan' and has taken steps in recent months to tackle drug abuse.
     Speaking at an event, organised jointly by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Delhi government to mark five years of the campaign, Singh said this was the first time in the last five months that the capital had witnessed a coordinated push towards drug de-addiction.
     "If youth remain drug-free, both the state and the nation will progress," he said at the event held at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Delhi Cantt and urged students to volunteer for the 'Nasha Mukt Delhi' initiative.
     Singh said that Delhi observed the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26 with a city-wide awareness drive, including street plays and special programmes at 64 sensitive locations.
     He added that he has written to the police commissioner seeking the deployment of beat officers in drug-prone areas to curb supply and requested a list of 'dark spots' for intensive surveillance.
     Educational institutions have also been urged to set up de-addiction clubs and declare their campuses drug-free, he said.
     According to the minister, district-level reviews of the campaign are underway, with meetings held so far in six districts involving senior officials from police, health, education, women and child development departments, the Narcotics Control Bureau, the Social Welfare Department and NGOs. The process will cover all 11 districts, he said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)