CM Dhami: Say No to Drugs, Yes to Life in Uttarakhand
Synopsis
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on October 25 called for a mass-outreach drive under the NashaMuktUttarakhand campaign, urging every resident to champion a 'No to drugs, Yes to life' message — extending Uttarakhand's alignment with the national Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan launched in 2020.
Key Takeaways
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami issued a public call on October 25, 2026 to carry the 'No to drugs, Yes to life' message to every citizen in Uttarakhand.
The appeal was made under the #NashaMuktUttarakhand and #DrugFreeUttarakhand hashtags, signalling a broad community-outreach push.
The state campaign aligns with the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan , the national drug-demand-reduction programme launched by the Government of India in 2020 .
The event was centred in Dehradun , the state capital and a key youth hub in Uttarakhand.
District-level awareness events under the same hashtag are the next phase to watch for concrete implementation.
A single sentence from Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami cut through the noise on Sunday, October 25, 2026 — and it was meant to travel far beyond any stage in Dehradun: 'Hume jan-jan tak nashe ko na aur zindagi ko haan ka sandesh pahunchana hai' — 'We must carry the message of No to drugs and Yes to life to every single person.'
The message Dhami wants in every home
Speaking under the banners of #DrugFreeUttarakhand and #NashaMuktUttarakhand, Chief Minister Dhami framed the fight against substance abuse not as a law-enforcement problem but as a mass-communication mission. The emphasis on reaching 'jan-jan' — every person — signals a push for community ownership rather than top-down policing. It is a public-health pitch aimed squarely at families and young people in the state's hill districts.
NashaMukt Uttarakhand and the national campaign behind it
The state's NashaMukt Uttarakhand campaign is the local expression of a larger national effort: the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, launched by the Government of India in 2020 to reduce drug demand through awareness drives and rehabilitation outreach. Uttarakhand has periodically aligned its own programmes with that framework, running drives through schools, colleges, and communities in areas bordering more vulnerable corridors. Dehradun, as the state capital and a hub for youth — students, workers, migrants — is a natural launchpad for such messaging.
Why the hill state keeps returning to this fight
Substance abuse in hill states carries a particular weight: geography isolates communities, rehabilitation infrastructure is thin, and youth migration to urban centres creates social vulnerabilities. Uttarakhand governments have repeatedly responded with awareness campaigns, but advocates have long pushed for concrete follow-through — more rehabilitation centres, school curriculum integration, and district-level enforcement. The Chief Minister's Office has flagged that district-level events under the same hashtag are the next step to watch. Whether this round of messaging translates into announced infrastructure will determine its impact beyond the hashtag.
The message is simple, the goal is vast. Now comes the harder part: delivering it to every last person in the mountains.
Point of View
Reducing the government's accountability burden while building popular buy-in. The move is consistent with a broader BJP-governed-state playbook of anchoring social-issue campaigns in cultural and community identity. The real test, however, is whether this messaging cycle will be backed by budgetary commitments to rehabilitation infrastructure — a gap that has blunted previous drives in the hill state. With district-level events flagged as the next step, Dehradun's follow-through will define whether 2026 is a turning point or another campaign season.
NationPress
25 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NashaMukt Uttarakhand campaign?
NashaMukt Uttarakhand is a state government campaign promoting a drug-free Uttarakhand through public awareness drives, community outreach, and messaging initiatives led by the Chief Minister's Office.
What did CM Pushkar Singh Dhami say about drugs on October 25?
CM Dhami said the government must carry the message of 'No to drugs and Yes to life' to every person in Uttarakhand, emphasising mass-level community participation in the anti-drug drive.
How is Uttarakhand's campaign connected to the national anti-drug programme?
Uttarakhand's NashaMukt campaign aligns with the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, launched by the Government of India in 2020 to reduce drug demand through awareness, outreach, and rehabilitation programmes across the country.
Why is Dehradun a focus for Uttarakhand's drug-awareness events?
Dehradun is the state capital of Uttarakhand and a major hub for students and young workers, making it a natural centre for government health-awareness events and policy announcements.
What is next for the DrugFreeUttarakhand initiative?
District-level awareness events under the same hashtag are the next expected phase, with advocates watching for concrete announcements on rehabilitation centre expansion and school-level programme integration.
