Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said the administration would soon roll out a comprehensive rehabilitation policy for drug addicts to help them rejoin the mainstream.
“Our aim is that not a single young person is left behind. We will provide jobs, opportunities and the means to live with dignity. The success of a drug-free J&K will not be measured only by the number of smugglers arrested but by the number of lives rebuilt, homes restored and dreams fulfilled,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
In a major push against narco-terrorism, Sinha led a foot march with a massive gathering in Bandipora to mobilise public support against drug abuse.
“Forty-five days ago, I pledged not only to dismantle the ecosystem of smugglers and narco-terrorists but also to spark a movement that uplifts youth and restores dignity to families scarred by addiction,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said Jammu and Kashmir was united and determined to free society from drugs permanently.
“The action against narco-terrorists and drug smugglers will continue. It will not stop until every drug smuggler is eliminated from the sacred soil of Jammu and Kashmir. Our agencies have launched an unprecedented drive to dismantle the narco-terror ecosystem,” he said.
Sinha said several drug supply networks that had remained hidden for years were now being traced and dismantled, while cartels that thrived for decades were being wiped out.
“We have sent a clear message that Jammu and Kashmir will not be a safe haven for those who profit from people’s suffering,” he said, adding that the law was now being enforced firmly.
He said the government alone could not win the fight against drugs and sought support from families, teachers, religious leaders and responsible citizens.
“I envision a Jammu and Kashmir where every child grows up free from the shadow of addiction, where families are not torn apart by drugs and where society moves forward with security, dignity and trust. This is not merely a dream but our mission,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
On the occasion, Sinha inaugurated the Waqar Knowledge Centre, a rehabilitation initiative under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (drug-free India campaign).
The Waqar Knowledge Centre was established by the Bandipora administration to provide recovering addiction cases with a constructive platform for rehabilitation, engagement and reintegration.
The initiative reinforces the message that individuals seeking to leave the path of substance abuse behind have access to a range of government-supported opportunities and support systems.
