Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, announced convening of the ‘Youth Spiritual Summit’ on the theme ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat’, a transformative initiative aimed at empowering the Bharat’s Yuva Shakti and fostering a drug-free society in New Delhi today.

Speaking at the press conference Union Minister said “Youth are the torchbearers of Amrit Kaal – the path to a Viksit Bharat,” underscoring that over 65 percent of India’s population is under 35, with an average age of just 28 years, making our youth the very driving force of national development.

Echoing Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s visionary call for a Viksit Bharat by 2047, Dr. Mandaviya emphasized that our young generation must lead from the front, not only as beneficiaries but as changemakers shaping India’s destiny. However, he cautioned that substance abuse remains one of the gravest threats confronting our youth, trapping them at a pivotal stage of life and posing a challenge to national progress.

Addressing this urgent concern, the Government of India, in partnership with NGOs, educational institutions, and spiritual organisations, is launching a holistic, inclusive, and future-oriented anti‑drug campaign. Central to this effort is the three-day Summit along the sacred ghats of the River Ganga, where 500 youth delegates drawn from the youth wings of 100 spiritual organisations will come together to introspect, deliberate, and ideate actionable strategies for eradicating drug addiction.

“The summit will pave the way for a massive grassroots movement – Jan Andolan – to identify drug sources, eradicate them at the root, and build a drug‑free India,” Dr. Mandaviya affirmed. He announced that at the conclusion of the Summit, the historic Kashi Declaration will be unveiled, encapsulating the collective resolve and laying out a national roadmap to achieve a drug‑free society.

The Summit’s four plenary sessions will cover: understanding addiction and its impact on youth; dismantling peddler networks and commercial interests; effective campaigning and outreach; and charting a comprehensive commitment toward Nasha Mukt Bharat by 2047. Keynote addresses by experts, moderated panel discussions, and open whiteboard forums will ensure that every delegate contributes to shaping this national strategy.

Building on the unwavering spirit of MY Bharat volunteers, who have linked every national occasion to the vision of Viksit Bharat through padyatras led by MY Bharat volunteers, Union Minister also announced a special Padyatra in Kargil on 26 July to mark Vijay Diwas. This march, involving local youth, MY Bharat youth clubs, and Army  representatives, will pay homage to our martyrs while promoting the Fit India movement.

All details related to the Youth Spiritual Summit and Kargil Vijay Diwas Padyatra will be made available on the MY Bharat Platform (https://mybharat.gov.in/)

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Manish Gautam/Divyanshu Kumar