Intoxication is the cause of destruction: UP CM Yogi Adityanath on International Youth Day

New Delhi [India], August 12 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that intoxication is the cause of destruction and the farther we distance ourselves from it, the better we can foster healthy thinking.
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister was inaugurating the ‘Nasha Mukt Pradesh-Shashakt Pradesh’ (Drug-Free State-Empowered State) campaign on the occasion of International Youth Day on Saturday.
During his address, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “Intoxication is the cause of destruction. Addiction leads to the decline of youth, and the farther we distance ourselves from it, the better we can foster healthy thinking.”
The Chief Minister also administered an oath to the youths belonging to various organisations, including NSS, Scouts Guide among others to have an addiction-free life on the occasion.
The youths had gathered at the KD Singh Babu Stadium in Lucknow on the invitation of the government to join the campaign against addiction.
Yogi Adityanath further said that it is imperative to connect the nine crore youth of the state with this pious campaign in order to give their dreams new wings and to shape Uttar Pradesh according to their aspirations. He mentioned that the theme of International Youth Day 2023 is 'Green Skill for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World.'
“According to this theme, it's our collective responsibility to connect with this campaign which aims to make the most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, addiction-free and subsequently empowered”, he added.
CM Yogi Adityanath said that the UNICEF is associated with several programmes in the state. According to him, many diseases that have been plaguing the youth and children for years, such as including encephalitis, are now being addressed.
The Chief Minister remarked that when organizations like UNICEF coordinated with the central and state governments, diseases like encephalitis were eradicated. “Remember, if a government program against diseases can achieve success, why can't solutions be found for artificially induced diseases”, he said.
The Chief Minister emphasized that during their youth, individuals should be nurturing new dreams aligned with their personal, societal, and national futures, but if they become addicted to intoxication, it renders them hollow from within, making them incapable of functioning effectively.
“Their work ethic declines, their ability to think creatively diminishes, and they become detached from campaigns requiring strong commitment. Eventually, they become passive and lose the potential to contribute positively to society”, he asserted.
Citing examples, CM Yogi, stated that many people are addicted to consuming tobacco and tobacco products , which damages their teeth. He further said that it also has adverse effect on the tongue, the lungs, the esophagus, and the stomach.
The Chief Minister stated that to make the state drug-free, the State's Youth Welfare Department is running an extensive public awareness campaign in collaboration with UNICEF. Simultaneously, responding to the appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a campaign is ongoing within Uttar Pradesh to link its youth with these creative programs.
“In every village, there should be a playground, a mini stadium at every block level, and a stadium in every district. All these programs instill a creative sense of sportsmanship in the youth”, the Chief Minister pointed out.
CM Yogi stated that youth who excel in academics are being motivated for competitive exams and arrangements for their coaching are also being made. He said that in addition to SC-ST candidates, there is provision for the Mukhya Mantri Abhyudaya Yojana for other children.
CM Yogi asserted that the state government is working to connect two crore youth with technology by providing tablets and smartphones, aiming to enhance their skills. Furthermore, efforts are being made to make the state's youth self-reliant, enabling the state and country to achieve self-reliance goals. Various initiatives have been undertaken at the government level to encourage sports and athletes.
“The state government is awarding a cash prize of Rs 6 crore at its level to an athlete who wins a gold medal in the Olympics. Athletes winning silver medals receive Rs 3 crore, and even for winning bronze medals, athletes are provided with incentive amounts. Substantial rewards are also given for team games. Youths can also utilise the platforms provided by the double-engine government for both education and sports to grow and excel in their chosen fields", he further pointed out.
Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, Union Minister Kaushal Kishore, Sports and Youth Welfare Minister (Independent Charge) Girish Chandra Yadav, Mayor Lucknow Sushma Kharkwal, Former Minister of State Government and Legislative Council member Dr. Mahendra Singh, MLAs Dr. Neeraj Bora, Ambareesh Singh, Member of Legislative Council Mukesh Sharma, Ramchandra Pradhan, Engineer Avnish Kumar Singh, Umesh Dwivedi, Lalji Nirmal and other dignitaries were present.