CM Nayab Saini Speaks on Nasha Mukt Bharat in Dainik Bhaskar Interview
Synopsis
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini sat for a special interview with Dainik Bhaskar on October 21, 2026, spotlighting the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan — the central government's flagship campaign to combat substance abuse launched in August 2020.
Key Takeaways
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini gave a special interview to Dainik Bhaskar on October 21, 2026 , focused on the #NashaMuktBharat campaign.
The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan was launched in August 2020 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to reduce substance abuse nationwide.
Haryana is among the states with heightened drug-abuse concerns, given its proximity to high-risk supply routes in the region.
Key target groups for the campaign include youth and affected families , with state governments responsible for ground-level implementation.
Chief ministers using high-circulation media platforms to champion the scheme signals political ownership and raises public accountability for outcomes.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini stepped in front of the camera on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, for a special interview with a major Hindi-language daily, turning the spotlight on one of the central government's most consequential social campaigns — the drive to make India drug-free.
Saini shared the interview on X with the caption 'Dainik Bhaskar ke saath vishesh saakshatkaar' ('A special interview with Dainik Bhaskar'), tagging it under #NashaMuktBharat — the hashtag tied to the national anti-drug campaign.
What the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan demands of Haryana
The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan was launched by the Government of India in August 2020 under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Its mandate is sweeping — reduce substance abuse through grassroots awareness, counselling, and rehabilitation, cutting across every district and demographic. Haryana, with its proximity to Punjab's well-documented drug-supply routes, has long been a state where the campaign's urgency is acutely felt.
Chief ministers across participating states have used media platforms to amplify the scheme's visibility at the local level. A sit-down interview with one of northern India's most-read Hindi dailies fits squarely into that pattern — part state-level accountability, part public-health messaging directed at the families and youth the campaign most needs to reach.
Why a CM-led media push matters for the campaign
Drug abuse in Haryana touches a wide circle: young people drawn into substance dependency and the families left scrambling for rehabilitation options. State governments bear the ground-level responsibility of running de-addiction centres, coordinating with district administrations, and channelling central scheme funding into visible outcomes.
When a chief minister engages directly — on camera, in the public's language — it signals political ownership of the issue, not just bureaucratic compliance. It also raises the bar: viewers and affected families now have a named face to hold accountable for whether de-addiction infrastructure actually reaches their block or taluka.
The Nasha Mukt Bharat push is far from finished. The interview is one more moment in a long campaign — but the states that keep it in the headlines are the ones most likely to see it stay funded and staffed.
Point of View
Making a sitting CM's on-camera commitment politically significant beyond symbolism. It also reflects the BJP's broader strategy of using welfare schemes as governance proof-points ahead of electoral cycles. The real test, however, will be whether the interview translates into measurable outcomes — de-addiction centre capacity, district-level coverage, and rehabilitation success rates.
NationPress
21 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan?
The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan is a national campaign launched by the Government of India in August 2020 under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to reduce substance abuse through awareness, counselling, and rehabilitation programmes across all states.
What did Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini say in the Dainik Bhaskar interview?
The specific content of the interview has not been independently detailed, but Saini shared it on X under the hashtag #NashaMuktBharat, signalling its focus on the central government's anti-drug campaign and Haryana's role in its implementation.
Why is the Nasha Mukt Bharat campaign important for Haryana?
Haryana faces significant drug-abuse challenges, partly due to its geographic proximity to supply routes in the region. The state is expected to run de-addiction centres and awareness drives as part of its participation in the national campaign.
Who runs the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan?
The campaign is run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment at the central level, with state governments responsible for district-level implementation, funding utilisation, and rehabilitation infrastructure.
What is Nayab Singh Saini's role in Haryana?
Nayab Singh Saini is the Chief Minister of Haryana and a BJP leader who assumed office in 2024. He is the state's top elected executive, responsible for policy implementation including social welfare schemes like Nasha Mukt Bharat.
