Governor calls for mass movement to make Telangana drug-free
Hyderabad, Sept 23 (TNT): Telangana Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla has called for a mass movement against drug abuse in the State, saying the campaign to protect youth and students from narcotics should begin at home and involve families, educational institutions and communities.
Since assuming charge as Governor on March 11, 2026, Shukla has been focusing on expanding the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan as a people’s movement across Telangana, conducting awareness programmes and reviewing anti-drug measures with officials in Hyderabad, Nizamabad, Hanamkonda, Warangal and Asifabad.
The Governor has called for strengthening anti-drug awareness in educational institutions and proposed during his meeting with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy in April that students be administered an anti-drug pledge and make a declaration to stay away from narcotics at the time of admission.
In June, Shukla administered the anti-drug pledge to students at L.B. Stadium in Hyderabad in the presence of the Chief Minister and Ministers, and called upon students, parents, teachers, citizens and officials to work collectively towards a drug-free Telangana.
He said the campaign should go beyond awareness programmes and become a people’s movement beginning from homes, villages and panchayats.
He also urged parents to watch for behavioural changes among children and advised students to report information related to drugs to authorities without fear.
At the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan–Drug-Free Telangana programme in Hanamkonda on July 9, the Governor unveiled an anti-drug awareness poster, flagged off an awareness rally and administered the pledge before reviewing the implementation of the campaign with officials of Hanamkonda and Warangal districts.
As Chancellor of universities, Shukla held a meeting with Vice-Chancellors at Lok Bhavan in August and suggested implementing the Nasha Mukt Yuva programme in mission mode.
He also called upon students, NSS volunteers, NCC cadets, faculty and youth to take the Nasha Mukt Bharat pledge through the My Bharat portal.
At the Nasha Mukt Bharat programme in Nizamabad on August 25, the Governor urged youth to stay away from drugs and channel their energy towards education, sports, skill development, innovation and nation-building.
He said tackling drug abuse required not only legal action but also continuous awareness, counselling and rehabilitation.
He appreciated the State government’s EAGLE initiative and the formation of anti-drug committees and Prahari Clubs in educational institutions.
The Governor’s approach focuses on four areas — creating awareness about the dangers of drugs from an early age, involving students and youth in the campaign, taking action against drug supply and trafficking, and providing treatment and rehabilitation to those affected by addiction.
Linking the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan with the goals of Viksit Bharat-2047, Shukla said a healthy, disciplined and socially responsible youth population was important for nation-building.
“The movement should start from home, get strengthened in educational institutions, become a mass movement through youth, and take shape as a Drug-Free Telangana,” he said.
TNT TS
