Amit Shah Sets 2029 Target for Drug-Free India at Run for Unity

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set 31 December 2029 as the target for making India completely drug-free, describing the fight against narcotics as a crucial step towards achieving the vision of a developed nation. He made the announcement on Saturday while flagging off the Run for Unity in New Delhi. The event marked the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, or National Unity Day. Shah flagged off the run at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in the national capital and administered the unity pledge to participants. Addressing the gathering, Shah said that if India is to become developed, it needs to become drug-free. He appealed to people across the nation to support the goal, saying that a drug-free India would be among the most significant achievements for the country’s youth and future generations. Shah described a Nasha Mukt Bharat, a drug-free India, as the first step towards realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat, a developed India. He said the government had already accomplished several significant tasks in the fight against drugs, and that the campaign now needs the participation of every citizen. The Home Minister also recalled the country’s progress against Left-Wing Extremism, saying that India had become free from Naxalism on 31 March this year and was now moving forward on the path to becoming a drug-free nation. He linked the two milestones as evidence of what sustained national resolve can achieve. Shah paid rich tribute to Sardar Patel, calling him the architect of modern India and recalling how Patel united numerous princely states into one nation. He said Patel’s leadership provided the direction that serves as the foundation for a self-reliant India today, and that every young person who has nation-building as a life mission should draw inspiration from his life. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Ministers of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai and Bandi Sanjay Kumar attended the programme. Shah also highlighted key decisions taken during Prime Minister Modi’s tenure, including the abrogation of Article 370, which he said fully integrated Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country, and the introduction of One Nation, One Tax. Run for Unity events and unity marches are organised across the country every year to honour Patel’s legacy and promote national solidarity. This year, the celebrations also feature a parade of police forces from across the country at the Statue of Unity, where Prime Minister Modi takes the salute. For the government, the 2029 target gives the anti-drug campaign a clear deadline and a national character — a call to families, schools, communities and enforcement agencies alike to protect young people from substance abuse and build a healthier, stronger India.