Govt resolved to combat drug menace in J&K: Chief Secretary

Jammu, Apr 5: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, Saturday formally launched a massive five month long Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign under the Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyan.
He reaffirmed the UT government’s resolve to combat the drug menace through sustained awareness, rehabilitation and coordination at all administrative levels.
The Chief Secretary stated, “Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir is not just a campaign, it is a mission to protect the youth and secure our future. We must address the roots of drug abuse while ensuring that affected individuals receive timely counselling, support and rehabilitation.”
As part of the formal launch, the Chief Secretary unveiled several key initiatives including the official web portal of the campaign www.nashamuktjk.org, providing a centralised interface for awareness activities and real-time updates.
The Chief Secret also inaugurated the INSPIRE Podcast Series of the Department of Information and Public Relations, which will feature weekly discussions with experts, field officers and individuals sharing real-life experiences. The initiative will engage the youth in conversations on drug de-addiction. Additionally, a dedicated web banner and an official campaign logo was also launched on the occasion.
Chairing a high level review meeting following the launch, the Chief Secretary assessed preparedness of the departments for the extensive campaign to be rolled out in every panchayat, Urban Local Body (ULB), educational institutions and major public spaces across the Union Territory.
The campaign is set to include 6,776 planned events for which a pool of 5,923 trained resource persons from the Social Welfare, Health, Police, Education and JKRLM departments has been developed through 51 training sessions across the 20 districts.
The Chief Secretary directed the district administrations to ensure inclusive public participation, stressing that the quality of content and delivery must be of the highest standards. He added, “this effort requires sincerity, empathy and innovation. Districts may deploy mobile IEC vans, send personalised messages to the participants and create immersive awareness models that resonate with the local population.”
He instructed the senior district functionaries including ADDCs, ADCs and others to remain actively involved in field level activities, ensuring consistent momentum throughout the five month campaign.
The Chief Secretary emphasised that awareness is only the beginning and rehabilitation and counselling must follow as essential support pillars.
In a detailed discussion with Secretary Health, Dr. Abid Rasheed Shah, the need for confidential counselling, creation of doctor pools and institutional frameworks for long-term de-addiction efforts was reiterated.
The Chief Secretary stated, “it is essential to guide the individuals not only away from drugs but towards new paths of purpose, be it through education, skill training or self-employment.”
Issues regarding helpline numbers at the district level were also discussed with the Chief Secretary, underscoring the need for a multi-layered support system that ensures that no recovering individual feels isolated or neglected.
The Health Department was tasked with leading inter-sectoral coordination with the Deputy Commissioners and line departments to ensure unified implementation.
The Divisional Commissioners and DCs provided status reports on resource calendars, session planning and logistics.
The DIPR was directed to undertake an aggressive publicity strategy using print, electronic, social and outdoor media to reach the citizens of all age groups and backgrounds.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary Education, Shantmanu; Principal Secretary Home, Chandrakar Bharti; Additional Director General of Police, Manish Sinha; Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare, Sanjeev Verma; Commissioner Secretary General Administration and Information , M. Raju and Director Information, Nitish Rajora, along with other senior officers in person and through virtual mode.