Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Extends MoU with The Art of Living under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Extends MoU with The Art of Living under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan MoU Signed in New Delhi in the Presence of Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar Renewed Partnership to Strengthen Awareness, Prevention and Community Mobilisation against Substance Abuse

Posted On: 16 SEP 2026 8:58PM by PIB Delhi The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, today extended its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Non Profit, Spiritual, Educational & Humanitarian Organization ‘The Art of Living’, under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA). The MoU was signed at the Ministry’s Office in National Capital here.The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Union Minister of Social Justice And Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar, Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Sudhansh Pant, Joint Secretary Dr. Sandeep R. Rathod, senior officers of the Ministry and representatives of ‘The Art of Living’.

Shri Astik Kumar Pandey, Director (Drug Prevention), signed the MoU on behalf of the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment while Shri Pankaj Narula, Trustee and authorised signatory, signed the MoU on behalf of ‘The Art of Living’.

Smt. Shabnam Awasthi, State Apex Member and Shri Vinay Sharma, Volunteer, ‘The Art of Living’, attended the ceremony as witnesses.Through the renewed collaboration, the Department and ‘The Art of Living’ will continue to advance the vision of a Nasha Mukt Bharat by promoting a whole-of-society and whole- of –government approach to the prevention of substance abuse.

The renewed partnership is part of the Department’s continuing efforts under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan to engage spiritual and value-based organizations in strengthening awareness, prevention and community mobilization against substance abuse.

Spiritual organizations, through their extensive community networks and grassroots presence, play an important role in promoting value-based living, strengthening individual and family resilience, reducing the stigma associated with substance use disorders, and encouraging affected persons to seek timely support and rehabilitation.Pertinently, the Ministry has entered into MoUs with 12 spiritual organizations, including ‘The Art of Living’, Brahma Kumaris, Sant Nirankari Mission, ISKCON, Shri Ram Chandra Mission, All World Gayatri Pariwar, Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram, University of Patanjali, Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan, Hare Krishna Movement, Adhyatm Vigyan Satsang Kendra and Chinmaya Mission.

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