Mizoram has come out on top among Indian states for its work in reducing drug demand, officials in Aizawl said on Friday, after the state's efforts under a central anti-narcotics programme drew praise from the Union government.
How the recognition came about
The acknowledgement was delivered on Thursday during a meeting led by the Union Secretary for Social Justice and Empowerment, according to officials. Mizoram was named the best-performing state under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR), a scheme run nationwide by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
What NAPDDR is meant to do
NAPDDR is built around four goals: keeping people from taking up drugs in the first place, offering treatment and rehabilitation to those already struggling with addiction, building up support systems for recovering users, and training the personnel who staff these programmes. A significant share of the scheme's energy goes into awareness campaigns aimed at children and young people, the age group most at risk of first exposure to substances.
A three-tier chain of command
Officials described a structure that runs from the state down to districts and blocks. At the top, Social Welfare Minister Lalrinpuii is responsible for steering the programme statewide, while Deputy Commissioners in each district are tasked with turning that direction into action on the ground.
Churches and voluntary groups join the effort
Beyond government departments, the state has drawn in churches and voluntary organisations to widen the campaign's reach, officials said. Protecting women and children from the fallout of substance abuse has been treated as a particular priority within this collaboration.
Regular reporting and a parallel campaign
Mizoram sends periodic progress updates on its anti-drug work to the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, officials added. Running alongside NAPDDR in every district of the state is the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA), a separate but related national campaign against drug abuse.
What officials credit for the top rank
Explaining Mizoram's number-one position, officials pointed to close coordination among state and district administrations, churches and voluntary bodies. They said it was this combined push, rather than any single measure, that helped the state secure recognition as the country's leading performer in drug-demand reduction.
