VARANASI, July 19 -- Union culture and tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Saturday said drug addiction among youth is a serious threat to India's progress towards becoming a developed nation. He was speaking at a technical session during the Youth Spiritual Summit, which is being held over three days in Varanasi.

Shekhawat said the youth must take the lead in eradicating this challenge and contribute to national development. "Drug abuse is not a personal matter; it weakens collective consciousness," he said.

The Union minister said India is advancing with a collective resolve under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but the risk of youth getting misled remains a key concern.

"There is a need to bring misguided yo...