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NASHA MUKT BHARAT ABHIYAN

April 01, 2026 4 min read Social Issues Polity & Governance GS2
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What Happened

  • Parliament was informed that Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA), launched on 15 August 2020 in 272 most-vulnerable districts, has been extended to all districts of the country with effect from 15 August 2023.
  • The scheme, implemented by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE), has reached over 23 crore individuals, including more than 7.81 crore youth, 5.24 crore women, and 17 lakh educational institutions.
  • The expansion follows a phased geographic roll-out: 272 districts at launch (August 2020) → 372 districts (August 2022) → all districts nationwide (August 2023).

Static Topic Bridges

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act)

The NDPS Act, 1985, is the primary legislation governing drug control in India. It prohibits the production, manufacture, cultivation, possession, sale, purchase, transport, storage, and consumption of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. The Act was enacted to fulfil India's obligations under three UN drug conventions: the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961), the Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971), and the UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988). Critically, Section 64A of the NDPS Act provides for immunity from prosecution for addicts who voluntarily seek treatment, reflecting the Act's recognition of addiction as a public health issue alongside its enforcement role.

  • Enacted: 16 September 1985; came into force: 14 November 1985.
  • Enforcing agencies: Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) at the central level; state police at state level.
  • NCB: Set up under the NDPS Act; nodal agency for drug law enforcement, coordination, and intelligence.
  • Classification: Narcotic drugs (opium, cannabis, coca) and psychotropic substances (prescription drugs with abuse potential).
  • Section 64A: Addicts volunteering for de-addiction can be released from prosecution, directed for medical treatment.
  • The NDPS Act was amended in 1988, 2001, and 2014 to address emerging drug trends.

Connection to this news: NMBA operates on the "demand reduction" side of the three-pronged drug control strategy — where the NDPS Act and NCB handle supply curb and enforcement, NMBA handles awareness and rehabilitation, and the Health Ministry handles treatment.

National Drug Demand Reduction Framework and NDDTC

India's drug demand reduction framework is built around the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR), which provides financial assistance to states, NGOs, and central agencies for prevention, de-addiction, and rehabilitation. The National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) at AIIMS New Delhi (located in Ghaziabad, UP) functions as the National Nodal Centre for de-addiction services, training de-addiction professionals, and developing evidence-based treatment protocols. The three-pronged strategy against drug abuse — supply curb (NCB), awareness and demand reduction (DoSJE/NMBA), and treatment (Ministry of Health) — ensures a whole-of-government approach.

  • NAPDDR: Umbrella scheme for drug demand reduction funding; nodal ministry: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
  • NDDTC: Established at AIIMS, New Delhi; apex training and treatment body for de-addiction.
  • De-addiction helpline: Centralised 1800-11-0031 (toll-free).
  • NMBA's three-pronged attack: NCB (supply curb) + DoSJE (awareness/demand reduction) + Health Ministry (treatment).
  • NMBA targets: Youth (18-35), women, and educational institutions as priority outreach groups.
  • Master Volunteers: Community-level volunteers trained for grassroots drug awareness and early intervention.
  • Partnerships with spiritual organisations (e.g., Gayatri Pariwar MoU) for community-level de-addiction counselling.

Connection to this news: The expansion of NMBA to all districts reflects the recognition that drug abuse is no longer a problem confined to border districts or urban centres — the 23-crore reach figure demonstrates a public health communication campaign at a scale comparable to national immunisation drives.

Drug Abuse as a Social Issues Topic: Constitutional and Policy Dimensions

Drug abuse intersects multiple UPSC Social Issues sub-topics: health rights (Article 21), protection of youth (Article 39(f), DPSP), right to dignity, and public order. The challenge of drug abuse among youth — with synthetic drugs like heroin and methamphetamine replacing traditional substances in several states — tests the state's capacity for integrated law enforcement and public health response. Northeast India and Punjab have historically been identified as high-prevalence zones, but the National Drug Survey 2019 (Ministry of Social Justice) revealed significant prevalence across all states, justifying NMBA's national expansion.

  • National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India (2019): First comprehensive national drug survey; conducted by AIIMS/NDDTC for the Ministry of Social Justice.
  • Key findings (2019 survey): 16 crore Indians use alcohol; 3.1 crore use cannabis; 23 lakh use heroin; 8.5 lakh use synthetic/prescription drugs for abuse.
  • The 272 NMBA launch districts were selected based on NCB supply-side data + 2019 survey demand-side findings.
  • Article 39(f) (DPSP): Children to be given opportunities for healthy development, free from exploitation.
  • Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988: Allows detention without bail for drug traffickers.

Connection to this news: The data tabled in Parliament — including the phased district expansion — demonstrates the government's use of the National Drug Survey evidence base to target and then scale NMBA, a model of data-driven social policy relevant to Mains GS2 governance questions.

Key Facts & Data

  • Scheme: Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA); launched 15 August 2020
  • Nodal department: Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (Ministry of SJE)
  • Launch: 272 most-vulnerable districts → 372 districts (August 2022) → all districts (15 August 2023)
  • Outreach: 23 crore+ individuals; 7.81 crore youth; 5.24 crore women; 17 lakh educational institutions
  • Legal framework: NDPS Act, 1985 (supply curb via NCB); NAPDDR (demand reduction funding)
  • Treatment apex body: NDDTC at AIIMS New Delhi
  • De-addiction helpline: 1800-11-0031 (toll-free)
  • National Drug Survey: 2019; 16 crore alcohol users; 23 lakh heroin users
  • Constitutional basis: Article 21 (health/dignity), Article 39(f) (protection of children/youth)