Maharashtra To Take Anti-Drug Campaign Beyond Mumbai, Counselling Support To Be Set Up In Schools, Colleges

Published 29 July 2026 · local

Maharashtra To Take Anti-Drug Campaign Beyond Mumbai, Counselling Support To Be Set Up In Schools, Colleges Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: July 29, 2026

Maharashtra To Take Anti-Drug Campaign Beyond Mumbai, Counselling Support To Be Set Up In Schools, Colleges Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: July 29, 2026, 14:14 IST Maharashtra government will take anti-drug campaign to beyond Mumbai with its Nasha Mukti Guidance and Counselling Committees. Every school and college in the state will have one. Rapid Read Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. (File pic) Maharashtra is set to take its anti-drug campaign beyond the financial capital, with the state government deciding to replicate the ‘Drugs Free Mumbai’ model across Maharashtra. As part of the initiative, ‘Nasha Mukti Guidance and Counselling Committees’ will be established in all schools and colleges to identify, counsel and support students vulnerable to substance abuse. The move is aimed at strengthening preventive efforts by taking the fight against narcotics directly into educational institutions, where awareness, early intervention and counselling are expected to play a key role.

Cabinet Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who chairs the high-level committee on the de-addiction awareness campaign, said the decision was taken after his proposal received approval from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He thanked the Chief Minister for extending the Mumbai model to the entire state, calling it a significant step towards building a drug-free Maharashtra. Under the new framework, the committees will conduct regular awareness programmes on the dangers of substance abuse, monitor behavioural changes among students, facilitate counselling wherever required and ensure coordination between teachers and parents. In cases that require professional intervention, students will be referred to qualified experts for further guidance and treatment. The state government’s initiative aligns with the Centre’s broader objective of making India drug-free by 2029. The Union government has been pushing for coordinated action involving multiple departments, combining strict enforcement against narcotics with sustained public awareness campaigns.

The statewide expansion comes ahead of the formal launch of the ‘Drugs Free Mumbai’ campaign on July 30 at the Worli Dome, where Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is scheduled to inaugurate the initiative. Officials said the campaign is designed as a year-long public movement rather than a one-day event. It will bring together students, teachers, parents, psychologists, non-governmental organisations, the Service Scheme (NSS), the Cadet Corps (NCC) and other community stakeholders. Educational institutions will organise awareness drives, counselling sessions, interactive discussions and outreach programmes throughout the year to educate young people about the risks associated with drug abuse and encourage them to seek help when needed. Calling for a collective effort, Lodha appealed to students, parents, educators, civil society organisations and citizens to actively participate in the campaign, saying the fight against substance abuse can only succeed through sustained community engagement and early intervention.