Imphal, October 10: Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Thursday launched the State-Level Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 3.0 at Raj Bhavan, Imphal, marking the beginning of a 60-day statewide drive to curb tobacco use among the youth.
The campaign, organised by the National Health Mission (NHM), Manipur, in collaboration with the Directorate of Health Services under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), aims to promote a tobacco-free lifestyle through awareness, enforcement, and capacity-building activities.
During the launch, Governor Bhalla led the gathering in taking a pledge to abstain from using tobacco products. He urged officials to ensure the campaign is implemented as a “sustained and serious initiative” to protect the youth and create a healthier society.
Commissioner (Health) Sumant Singh, along with the Directors of Family Welfare and IPR, attended the event. Senior officers from several departments, including Social Welfare, Information Technology, Home, and Police, were also present.
The 60-day campaign focuses on six key objectives — enhancing public awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco; strengthening compliance with Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) guidelines; promoting Tobacco-Free Villages; improving enforcement of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003 and the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) 2019; increasing social media engagement; and building institutional capacity.
According to officials, the campaign will be replicated across all districts of Manipur to ensure statewide participation and long-term impact.
Governor Bhalla called upon all departments and stakeholders to collaborate actively, stating that only through collective effort can the state move towards a “tobacco-free generation.”
