NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday appealed to citizens to join hands to free India from the menace of drug abuse, and build a stronger future for the youth.
In his monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat', Modi noted that the 'Drug-Free Youth for a Developed India' campaign is gaining momentum across the entire country.
"Its goal is crystal clear - drug-free youth, drug-free India.
Let us come together to build a drug-free India and a stronger future for our youth," he said.
The Drug-Free India through the 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan' (NMBA) is a flagship initiative of the government launched on August 15, 2020 under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR).
The campaign seeks to prevent substance abuse through awareness generation, community participation, treatment, rehabilitation, aftercare and social reintegration while fostering a nationwide movement against drug abuse.
Referring to the PM SVANidhi Yojana, a welfare scheme for street vendors, the prime minister said the scheme is helping lakhs of women street vendors expand their businesses, increase their incomes and build a better future for their families.
He said millions of mothers and sisters are gaining new strength through the 'PM SVANidhi Scheme' and this aspect of 'women's empowerment' does not receive as much discussion as it should.
"Nearly 46 percent of the beneficiaries of the 'PM SVANidhi Scheme' are women.
That means around 35 lakh women across the country are connecting with this scheme to advance their businesses," he said.
Launched in June 2020, the PM SVANidhi scheme was formulated to assist street vendors to overcome the adverse effects of financial constraints and to restart their lost businesses during the Covid pandemic.
The prime minister is currently on a state visit to Uzbekistan and the radio broadcast is usually recorded a few days in advance and played on the last Sunday of every month.