MYAS announces 'Youth Spiritual Summit' to ideate on strategy against drug addiction

New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) In a bid to create awareness about the ill-effects of drug addiction, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is set to organise a three-day 'Youth Spiritual Summit' starting July 18 in Varanasi where 500 young delegates will "deliberate, and ideate actionable strategies" against the menace.

The aim of the conclave, titled 'Nasha Mukt Yuva For Viksit Bharat', is to develop a comprehensive national strategy to make India drug-free by 2047.

The registration will open on July 18 and the conclave will begin the next day.

At the end of the conclave, the final action plan -- 'Kashi Declaration' -- will be released based on the discussions.

The conclave will bring together the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Justice, Ministry of Culture, the Narcotics Control Bureau, NALSA (National Legal Services Authority), and youth wings of 100 spiritual organisations.

The conclave, to be held at the Rudraksh Convention Centre, will be attended by 500 participants with five representatives from each spiritual organisation.

The conclave will highlight how local bodies, cooperatives, and educational institutions can come together with the support of the government to achieve the goals of the 'Kashi Declaration'.

Speaking about the initiative, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya said, the conclave is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making India Viksit Bharat by 2047, where youth is the biggest stakeholder.

"Ours is a young country and youth is our strength. Addiction and drugs are big problems. So we want to involve every platform where there is youth, school, college... we need a big nationwide campaign from one platform," Mandaviya said.

"We want to make India Nasha Mukt (drug-free), and this programme is to shape the course of action towards that goal." The minister said the programme will be an ongoing process and every year it will be reviewed and new targets will be set.

"Every year we will set a target and every year it will be reviewed. We want to create janandolan (peoples' movement)," Mandaviya said.

The summit's four plenary sessions will cover a wide rage of topics, including understanding addiction and its impact on youth; dismantling peddler networks and commercial interests; effective campaigning and outreach; and charting a comprehensive commitment towards drug-free India by 2047. PTI SSC AM PM PM