Odisha Village wins National Award for Prevention of Alcohol Abuse & Addiction

ONI Bureau: The President of India Ram Nath Kovind presented the “Fourth National Awards for outstanding services in the field of Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse” to the institutions and individuals on the occasion of ‘International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’ in New Delhi today.

Lariapalli, a small tribal village in Sambalpur district in Odisha today received the National Award for outstanding services in the field of Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse, 2018.

As per report, this Gram Panchayat with 90 percent of people that used to consume 2.4 quintals of alcohol per day before 3 years now consumes 0 units of alcohol. Bhola Nath, director, Art of Living, Social Causes, with the support of the head of the Gram Panchayat Shukru Kujur and Odisha Government brought large scale of changes in this particular village.

In a letter for recommending this Gram Panchayat for the National Awards, the Odisha Government detailed the innovative approach that helped to make this area completely addiction-free, and said it was the means of Yoga, Pranayama and Meditation with the help of The Art of Living’s Vyakti Vikas Kendra, community mobilization, awareness drives, behavioral training workshops, that led to this success.