Bihar's government has launched a month-long campaign combining public awareness with tougher policing against narcotics trafficking, running statewide from October 27 to November 26, 2026. Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary unveiled the initiative, which pairs a new WhatsApp chatbot and helpline with mobile awareness units and expanded enforcement powers for police.
How the campaign is structured
The effort, coordinated by Bihar's Prohibition, Excise and Registration Department, was inaugurated at Adhiveshan Bhawan in Patna. Choudhary introduced a WhatsApp chatbot and helpline designed to give residents a direct channel for information and reporting, then flagged off vehicles that will tour districts over the coming weeks using audio-visual content to explain the risks of substance abuse. Officials were instructed to organize street plays, community meetings and panchayat-level programs in rural areas, alongside broader awareness drives in cities. Participants and officials connected via video conference took a pledge to avoid intoxicants, discourage drug use among others and support enforcement against trafficking.
Enforcement data behind the push
Choudhary cited department figures showing charas seizures rose from 282 kg in 2024 to 400 kg in 2025, while heroin seizures increased from 42 kg to 65 kg over the same period; 77 kg of opium was seized in 2025. He said roughly 1,700 cases have been registered over illegal narcotics trade, with special courts set up in several districts to handle them. He directed police and excise officials to dismantle trafficking networks, deploy modern technology where needed, and run targeted enforcement drives in districts flagged for narcotics activity.
Community groups and prohibition policy context
The chief minister pointed to the involvement of roughly 1.81 crore women linked to the Jeevika self-help group network, along with students and members of the Brahma Kumaris organization, as central to expanding community participation. He referenced Bihar's 2016 prohibition law, introduced under then-chief minister Nitish Kumar, as a public-interest measure despite revenue trade-offs, and said the state must now intensify efforts against other intoxicants as well. He tied the campaign to the national goal of a drug-free India, crediting guidance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Nitish Kumar.
Who else participated
Deputy Chief Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Prohibition and Excise Minister Madan Sahni, Higher Education Minister Sanjay Singh Tiger, and department secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh also spoke at the event. Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, Director General of Police Preety Verma, and representatives from Jeevika, the Brahma Kumaris organization and district administrations attended in person, while others joined remotely from across the state.