Home Minister Amit Shah sets December 2028 drug-free Gujarat target, a year ahead of national deadline

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday set the deadline of making Gujarat drug free by December 2028, a year ahead of the time limit set for India, while urging urged citizens to report drug abuse to authorities, as governments alone cannot eradicate narcotics without active public support

Addressing a gathering in Ahmedabad, Shah specifically requested teachers to remain vigilant and report changes in a student's behavior - such as bloodshot eyes, sleeping in class, or lack of focus - and ensure the student is tested. Similarly, guardians must keep a close watch on adolescent children.

He was speaking in Ahmedabad after launching development projects worth Rs 1,024 crore, Shah said that while the deadline to make India drug-free is December 31, 2029, Gujarat needs to achieve the status by December 31, 2028.


"Drug abuse hollows out our youth and the future generations. It undermines our country's future by impairing the minds, bodies, cognitive abilities, and sensory faculties of our young people. Moreover, money generated from the drug trade is used to fuel terrorism within the country," the Union home minister said, urging citizens to report any instances of drug sales to the authorities.