Shillong: Union minister of state for youth affairs & sports, Raksha Khadse, has called for “collective, mission-mode approach” to combat the growing challenge of substance abuse among youth in the northeast at an event on Thursday.She was speaking at a ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat – Purvottar’ event organized by MY Bharat under the department of youth affairs at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Shillong, that brought together representatives from 24 spiritual and social organizations, youth officers, civil society stakeholders and institutional leaders to deliberate on strategies for strengthening anti-drug awareness and youth engagement initiatives across the northeast.“We must collectively take forward the Nasha Mukt Abhiyan in mission mode. Our youth are the greatest strength of the nation, and it is our shared responsibility to guide them towards the right direction. If we provide them with positive guidance and opportunities, we will certainly achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047,” she said.Highlighting the seriousness of substance abuse and addiction, the minister noted that the issue must be viewed not merely as an individual challenge but as a larger social concern requiring coordinated community action and sustained institutional intervention.Referring to the role of MY Bharat, she said the platform was envisioned to connect youth with nation-building initiatives and encourage their active participation in addressing social challenges at the grassroots level.“Sports can become one of the most effective instruments for channelizing youth energy in a constructive direction. States across the northeast, along with Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Goa, already possess a strong sports culture. We must connect more youth with sports, local cultural activities and positive community engagement,” she stressed.Nalini Prava Tripathy, director, IIM Shillong, said sports and management education together play an important role in shaping responsible citizens and future leaders.She said that IIM Shillong continuously encourages student participation in sports, yoga, meditation, cultural activities and co-curricular engagements to ensure positive social and emotional development among young people.
Union MoS Raksha Khadse speaks at an event in Shillong
