As part of the ongoing 100-Day Mission Mode Campaign under the Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyaan, District Administration Bandipora on Sunday organised an interaction and awareness programme with Panchayat-level Mahila Samitis under the “Maa se Guftagu” initiative, aimed at strengthening grassroots efforts against drug abuse.
The programme witnessed participation from District Programme Officer ICDS Bandipora, Yaar Ali Khan; Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Shabir Ahmad Wani; CDPOs, Mahila Samitis, ICDS Supervisors, Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs), NRLM representatives and other stakeholders.
During the programme, the functioning of Mahila Samitis across all 151 Panchayats and 43 Municipal Wards of the district was reviewed, with special focus on their role in strengthening grassroots implementation of the anti-drug campaign. District Programme Officer ICDS Bandipora, presented a detailed strategy and action plan outlining the responsibilities of Panchayat Mahila Samitis.
The presentation highlighted six core mandates, including awareness generation, counselling support, community vigilance, convergence, rehabilitation, and reporting mechanisms at the Panchayat level. A comprehensive 100-day action plan focusing on training programmes, awareness drives, identification of addicts, home visits, and follow-up assessments was also shared.
Addressing the gathering, Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Indu Kanwal Chib, underscored the vital role of women in building a drug-free society and called upon Mahila Samitis to serve as “change agents” at the village and ward levels. She stressed the need for intensified door-to-door awareness campaigns, mohalla meetings, community vigilance, and timely identification of vulnerable youth.
The Deputy Commissioner observed that parents have a crucial role in safeguarding children from addiction and noted that substance abuse often contributes to domestic violence cases. She urged participants to counsel affected individuals while strengthening preventive awareness at the grassroots.
The meeting also deliberated on a multi-pronged strategy involving ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, Self Help Groups (SHGs), and PRI institutions. Directions were issued to organise awareness drives, school rallies, and nukkad nataks, besides facilitating counselling and rehabilitation support through the District De-addiction Centre.
Representatives of Mahila Samitis also shared challenges related to social stigma and increasing peer pressure among adolescents. Emphasising a compassionate approach, the Deputy Commissioner stressed the need to support rehabilitation and reintegration of drug addicts into society to help them lead dignified lives.
The programme concluded with a pledge administered by the Deputy Commissioner, wherein participants resolved to continue collective efforts toward building a drug-free society under the Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyaan, reaffirming that “change begins at home.