Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged citizens to report drug abuse via a new toll-free helpline to combat narcotics and terrorism.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday set a deadline of December 31, 2028, to make Gujarat drug-free and December 31, 2029, to make India drug-free. Addressing a gathering in Ahmedabad, Shah stated that governments cannot eradicate narcotics without active public support.
According to reports from Deccan Chronicle, The Indian Express, and The Times of India, Shah launched the campaign after inaugurating and laying foundation stones for various development projects worth over Rs 1,024 crore. These projects include a flyover on the Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway and an elevated corridor connecting Sarkhej and Iskcon.
Shah said drug abuse impairs the minds and bodies of young people and that money from the drug trade is used to fuel terrorism. He noted that while the country has been made free from Naxalism, the government cannot rest.
A dedicated toll-free helpline, 1033, will become operational in Gujarat from December 1 to report drug sales. Shah assured citizens that their identities would be kept confidential and that the Bhupendra Patel-led government would take strict action against peddlers.
The Home Minister urged teachers to monitor students for behavioural changes and asked parents to watch adolescent children closely. He also mentioned that rehabilitation centres will be set up to assist those recovering from addiction.
