The Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN), a division of the Ministry of Finance, has conducted a series of anti-drug awareness and community engagement programmes in Madhya Pradesh. The activities form part of Mission Yuva Raksha, the government’s initiative to prevent drug abuse among youth and build support for a drug-free India, known as Nasha Mukt Bharat.
CBN organised awareness sessions at educational institutions and held public grievance camps in opium-growing districts. The programmes combined education about drug dangers with direct support for farmers and dispute resolution, reflecting a two-pronged approach to narcotics control.
Key facts
- Awareness programme held at G.T. Polytechnic College, Jaora, in Ratlam district
- Approximately 50 opium cultivators and 40 CBN officers attended the Mandsaur awareness session
- Over 450 opium cultivators participated in Jan Sunwayi (public hearing) programmes at Neemuch and Mandsaur
- Programmes included presentations, awareness videos, quiz activities and anti-drug pledges
- Jan Sunwayi camps addressed grievances including name corrections, Namantaran (crop conversion scheme) eligibility and Settlement Operation 2026-27 queries
- CBN conducted the Mandsaur session in follow-up to an MoU with Brahma Kumaris
What Mission Yuva Raksha covers
Mission Yuva Raksha is the government’s targeted campaign to educate young people, particularly students, about the dangers of illegal drugs and controlled substances. Under this mission, CBN conducts awareness sessions at schools, colleges and community centres to build understanding of drug abuse prevention among those most vulnerable to addiction.
The student programme at Jaora polytechnic used interactive methods including videos and quizzes to explain how drugs harm health and society. Students were encouraged to take a public pledge against drug use, creating peer-driven commitment to staying drug-free.
Support for opium cultivators and grievance redressal
CBN’s work in opium-growing districts extends beyond enforcement. The Jan Sunwayi programmes held in Neemuch and Mandsaur provided direct access to CBN officials for cultivators to raise concerns and seek help.
Cultivators’ issues included corrections to official records, questions about Namantaran (the scheme allowing opium farmers to switch to legal crops), and eligibility details for the Settlement Operation 2026-27. CBN officers addressed these matters on the spot, reducing the need for cultivators to travel to distant offices or rely on middlemen.
The programmes also warned cultivators against dealing with intermediaries who may exploit them. CBN encouraged direct contact for clarification and assistance, protecting farmers from fraud.
The Mandsaur session was organised with support from Brahma Kumaris, a spiritual and social organisation, showing how CBN partners with non-government groups to reach communities.
Linking awareness with enforcement
CBN positions its awareness and community programmes as part of a broader strategy against illegal drug supply. Awareness reduces demand, while enforcement targets supply. By engaging with opium cultivators, CBN aims to prevent diversion of licensed opium to illegal markets and encourages farmers to remain within legal frameworks.
Student awareness builds a generation less likely to use drugs, reducing both demand and the pool from which traffickers recruit users and dealers.
What this means for you
If you are a student in Madhya Pradesh or other regions, CBN’s awareness programmes provide factual information about drugs and their harms, available through colleges and community events.
If you are an opium cultivator or family member in Neemuch, Mandsaur or nearby districts, Jan Sunwayi camps offer a formal channel to resolve disputes with government records, ask about crop conversion schemes and understand upcoming settlement operations without paying middlemen or brokers.
For the general public, these programmes reflect CBN’s commitment to building a drug-free society through education and legitimate channels for farmer support, not only through arrests and seizures.