Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Shripad Naik on Thursday inaugurated a two-day multimedia exhibition on “Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat – Sankalp Abhiyan” organised by the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), Goa, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, at DCT’s Srinivassa Sinai Dempo College, Cujira, St Cruz.
The exhibition, being organised in collaboration with the college’s NSS Unit from August 20 to 21, seeks to create awareness among young people about the harmful effects of substance abuse and encourage them to make healthy and positive choices. The campaign also aims to engage youth as active stakeholders in building a healthy, productive and drug-free society, in line with the vision of a Viksit Bharat.
Speaking at the inaugural session, the minister talked about the vision of the Central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make India a drug-free nation. He also spoke about the goal of building a developed India by 2047 and stressed the important role young people have to play in achieving this vision.
Prof. (Dr) Manoj Kamat, Principal, DCT’s Srinivassa Sinai Dempo College, welcomed the gathering and spoke about the objectives of the campaign and the importance of creating awareness among students about the consequences of substance abuse.
As part of the inaugural programme, CBC felicitated Prof. (Dr) Manoj Kamat, Dr Aarti R. Popkar and Stesa Elsie Pereira, Assistant Professors and NSS coordinators of the college, in recognition of their cooperation and support in organising the exhibition.
The minister also distributed prizes to winners of the Poster Making, Rangoli Making and Essay Writing competitions organised for students as part of the campaign.
Nana Meshram, Director, Press Information Bureau, Goa; Vishal Pawar, Assistant Director, Narcotics Control Bureau, Goa; and Riyas Babu, Publicity Officer, Central Bureau of Communication, Goa, were present at the event.
The multimedia exhibition features information and awareness components highlighting the physical, psychological and social consequences of substance abuse and encourages young people to adopt healthy lifestyles and stay away from drugs and other harmful substances.
Students from various schools in Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Vidya Sankul, Cujira, visited the exhibition in large numbers on the opening day, participating in the awareness activities and exploring the exhibits. The exhibition will continue at the college on August 21.
