Mann Ki Baat 137: PM Modi urges youth to use creativity for drug-free India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on young people to engage in "creative efforts" to help the national fight against drug abuse, particularly on social media, during his Mann Ki Baat radio address on Sunday.

PM Modi called it a noble mission, emphasising that drug addiction affects not just an individual but also their family and society. He also praised those who are spreading awareness about drugs and coming forward to support people battling addiction.

“Can you come up with a powerful slogan for a drug-free India? Can our young musicians create songs that convey the message of a drug-free life? Can students and theatre groups write touching short plays that highlight the dangers of drugs while also showing the path to recovery? Our country has no shortage of excellent content creators. I urge them to create content in various languages that helps society in this endeavour,” he said.

“You can use your creativity as a medium for social change. Often, creative efforts prove more impactful than formal campaigns. Let us all play our part in this noble mission to keep India’s youth away from drugs and free from addiction,” he also said, asking people to use the hashtag #NashaMuktYuva while sharing content on social media.

PM Modi highlights drug-free India, history initiative

A key government initiative, the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, was launched on August 15, 2020, as part of the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction.

The prime minister began the 137th episode of Mann Ki Baat by praising Mumbai resident Krishna Seshadri, whom he also spoke to, for using Bharat Rajya, a website that aims to introduce people to India's great empires, to bridge the gap between technology and history.

PM Modi praised him for "re-living history now", saying he had seen the site with great interest and that its author had "truly accomplished something remarkable."

He added,

“This initiative by Krishna ji will help not only history students but all of us to learn about our past in an engaging way.”

Har Ghar Tiranga campaign

PM Modi highlighted the "myriad hues of patriotism" that August offers, citing events like National Handloom Day, the anniversary of the Quit India Movement and Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. Every citizen is filled with pride on Independence Day and National Space Day, but this feeling is reinforced by the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.

The 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram has made this year even more memorable. More than eight crore Tiranga selfies were uploaded this time.

Furthermore, this tricolour celebration was not limited to India. This year, the national flag travelled across the world through the Suryapath Tiranga programme, he said.

PM Modi also mentioned the PM SVANidhi Yojana, saying that the programme, which was launched in June 2020, was helping women street vendors grow their businesses, increase their earnings and improve their families' financial circumstances. He also emphasised recent initiatives focused on cleanliness, saying that people's behaviour shapes the identity of villages, towns, rivers and pilgrimage sites. According to him, the beauty of a place is further enhanced when cleanliness becomes part of such behaviour.

“Cleanliness has a remarkable quality. When the resolve to keep a place clean becomes the people’s own commitment, the transformation is not limited merely to tidiness. It completely changes the identity of that place. Such efforts towards cleanliness in various parts of the country constantly inspire us,” he said.