Shri Lakshman Prasad Acharya
(Governor of Assam)
The future of Assam rests on the hands of its youth – their dreams, their health and their ability to contribute to society. Protecting this precious human capital from the threats that distract and deviate those from this objective is our sacred national duty. Narcotic drugs are among the most potent of threats since they destroy the youth, the whole society and the nation as a whole. Therefore, it is not just a social responsibility; it is a duty towards building a healthy, resilient and developed Assam as a part of realising a strong, united and progressive nation.
The vision of a Viksit Bharat calls for a healthy, capable and confident generation that can lead the country’s journey towards excellence. The Honourable Prime Minister has consistently reiterated the need to build a society free from the scourge of drugs and make young people active partners in nation-building. The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan gives this national resolve a strong social dimension by bringing together the government, families, educational institutions, communities and citizens around a common agenda.
For Assam, the challenge is significant and demands sustained collective action. Assam’s proximity to the ‘Golden Triangle’, the funnel effect of neighbouring borders, constantly shifting and porous terrains, and the fact that Guwahati is a logistics hub necessitate constant vigilance and surveillance against the peddling and abuse of narcotic substances. In view of these challenges, the Government of Assam has launched an uncompromising and zero-tolerance war on drugs. The Government of Assam has established an Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) as part of its anti-drug campaign. The government has also undertaken massive public disposal drives across the state for systematic destruction of seized substances, besides strengthening interstate and border coordination mechanisms and conducting targeted local crackdowns.
Enforcement data also reflects the scale of the anti-drug campaign. Assam Police registered 3,361 cases under the NDPS Act in 2025, resulting in 4,754 arrests. In 2026, up to June 30, 1,738 cases had already been registered and 2,593 persons arrested. The authorities conducted 24 successful operations against transnational and interstate drug cartels during 2025–26. Yet, the ultimate objective is not simply to seize drugs or arrest traffickers. It is to ensure that no young people ever enter the vicious cycle of addiction. This is where awareness and prevention become crucial. Assam has so far recorded significant outreach under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, covering schools and colleges and reaching out to more than 13.73 lakh students and young people. Over 1.93 lakh people have taken the Nasha Mukt pledge, while 13,028 Nasha Mukt Mitras have registered to support the campaign.
These numbers represent something more important than statistics; they represent a growing human chain that is determined, concerned, and willing to speak, listen, and act. To transform this campaign into a mass movement, Lok Bhavan, Assam, has envisaged and is launching a “Padayatra” for a Nasha Mukt Assam from September 17 to October 2. This journey will cover 10 districts through selected programmes and Padayatra campaigns.
The beginning and conclusion of the Padayatra carry a powerful message. It evokes the vision of a strong, vibrant, developed, empowered and self-reliant India and also reminds us of the enduring values of nationalism, self-discipline, moral courage and collective responsibility.
The Padayatra specifically aims to reach the young. Assam’s youth possess the energy and conviction to transform this campaign into a powerful force and create an active deterrent against addiction. I sincerely believe that every playground, every classroom, every skill centre and every cultural institution that nurtures young people has the potential to strengthen the larger fight against drugs.
Compassion must be central to our response. Addiction poses a serious challenge, but we must not isolate individuals struggling with substance dependence. Treatment, counselling, rehabilitation and the opportunity to return to family and society with dignity are equally important.
Assam has been strengthening this humane dimension. The six De-addiction-cum-Rehabilitation Centres functioning under the Directorate of Social Justice and Empowerment in Kamrup (M), Barpeta, Sonitpur, Golaghat, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia and 16 Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts functioning across 14 districts are helping people overcome the scourge of narcotic substances and return to the mainstream. Treatment facilities at LGB Regional Institute of Mental Health, Sonitpur, Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, Jorhat, and AIIMS Guwahati, along with the eight District De-addiction Centres in Dima Hasao, Darrang, Jorhat, Karbi Anglong, Kokrajhar, Sivasagar, Sribhumi and Tinsukia, are working to help those affected by substance abuse. The Nasha Mukt Bharat helpline, 14446, provides another avenue for seeking assistance against substance abuse.
However, we cannot rely solely on governments and enforcement agencies to fight against drugs. The first line of prevention is often the family, educational institutions and social circles. Open communication between parents and their children, attentive teachers providing guidance, responsible communities engaging in effective behavioural change communication, and supportive peers offering compassionate assistance can all make a significant difference before addiction becomes a serious concern. Educational institutions must become spaces where young people can speak without fear, seek guidance and discover healthier avenues to pursue their lives.
While enforcement agencies of both the Govt of India and the Government of Assam have been pursuing a no-holds-barred approach to control and neutralise the “SUPPLY SIDE” of this menace, individual citizens, children, youth, parents, families, civic society organisations, etc., through awareness and concerted action can support the government’s efforts on the “SUPPLY SIDE” and help in totally cutting off the “DEMAND SIDE”.
I believe every household can become a centre of awareness, every educational institution a centre of prevention, every community a source of support and every citizen an ambassador of a drug-free Assam. Every individual should carry the message of “SAY NO TO DRUGS” in their hearts.
The Padayatra, therefore, should be seen not simply as a walk across districts but as an effort towards a larger social awakening. It can transform a simple message into a collective force that acts as a deterrent against narcotic substances. The inherent objective of the Padayatra is clear – Assam’s youth are too precious to be surrendered to drugs, and Assam’s future is too important to be compromised.
My humble appeal to everybody is that we should make the Nasha Mukt Bharat Sankalp a personal and collective pledge to stay away from drugs, to prevent their spread, to support those seeking recovery, to reject the stigma surrounding rehabilitation and to create opportunities that give our youth purpose and hope. Every individual citizen should come forward to inform national and state agencies, partnering with the authorities in the fight against narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, and helping to identify, act against, and eliminate the peddlers, networks, and infrastructures involved in this evil trade.
As Assam walks towards October 2, let every step strengthen a shared resolve: Nasha Mukt Assam, Swasth Assam, Shaktishali Assam. A drug-free Assam will not only be a resilient Assam. It will be an Assam whose young people are free to dream, free to create and free to contribute in the making of a Viksit Bharat. Come! Let us join hands and fully participate in the Padayatra to realise the dreams of Viksit Assam and Surakshit Assam, paving the way for a Viksit Bharat!