Odisha Drug-Free Campus Initiative: The Odisha Government is set to launch a new initiative to make educational campuses and their surroundings drug-free. Under the plan, a 500-metre radius around educational institutions will be declared a drug-free zone. The step aims to fight substance abuse among youth and create a safe environment for students to study. The initiative focuses on protecting children and young people from the harmful effects of drugs near their schools and colleges. Details about how the zones will be enforced and the rules to be followed are awaited. Check complete details here.
Odisha Drug-Free Zone: What Has the Government Decided?
The Odisha Government has taken a major step to protect students from drug abuse. The decision covers all educational institutions in the state, and here is what it says. The Odisha Government has decided to declare a 500-metre radius around all educational institutions in the state as "Drug-Free Zones" under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. The aim is to protect the younger generation from the growing problem of drug abuse.
The move builds on earlier steps. In July 2026, the Higher Education Department directed heads of all government and aided colleges to physically verify the areas around their campuses. They had to report any shops selling narcotics, psychotropic substances, alcohol, tobacco or other intoxicants within 500 metres. The order says no such outlet should operate within 500 metres of any educational institution, under the National Narcotics Coordination (NCORD).
Odisha's Anti-Drug Action Plan for 2026-27
Odisha has sent a Rs 4.62 crore State Action Plan for 2026-27 to the Centre under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR), seeking approval to expand awareness, prevention and treatment work. The biggest share, Rs 1.65 crore, is set aside for preventive education and awareness campaigns. The plan aims to build a coordinated framework involving government departments, educational institutions, law enforcement agencies and community organisation.
Why Odisha Is Taking This Step
The state's move is in line with national efforts to keep campuses free from drugs. The Centre has proposed Drug-Free Campuses extending up to a 500-metre radius around educational institutions, along with consent-based drug screening for students, under its 2026-2029 narcotics control roadmap. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has also issued detailed guidelines for all higher education institutions across the country. The state is acting at a time when concerns about rising drug consumption among young people are growing across Odisha.
How Will the Drug-Free Zones Be Enforced?
The initiative will cover schools, ITIs, polytechnics, colleges, universities, technical and professional institutions, and their hostels. Odisha already has a track record of enforcement. Police and the district administration launched raids in Bhubaneswar and Paradip in May, targeting shops selling cigarettes, gutkha, pan masala, cannabis and bhang within 500 metres of schools and colleges. In an earlier Bhubaneswar drive, officials said they were fining drug traders near educational institutions and detaining them when required.