MEASURES TO PREVENT DRUG ABUSE AND COMBAT ILLEGAL DRUG TRADE
To address the problem of Drug Abuse, Government has formulated and implemented the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) under which the Government is taking a sustained and coordinated action for arresting the problem of substance abuse. This includes:
- Launched Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) in all districts of the country through more than 10000 master volunteers. It has reached out to more-than 14.79 crore people including 4.96 crore youth and 2.97 crore women.
- 350 Integrated Rehabilitation Centers for Addicts (IRCAs) are supported by the Government to provide treatment for the drug victims, preventive education, awareness generation, motivational counseling, detoxification/de-addiction, after care and re-integration into the social mainstream.
- 46 Community based Peer led Intervention (CPLI) Centers supported by the Government focuses on vulnerable and at risk children and adolescents.
- 74 Outreach and Drop In Centers (ODICs) supported by the Government provide safe and secure space for treatment, rehabilitation, screening, assessment, counseling, referral, linkage for treatment and rehabilitation services for substance users.
- 142 Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) has been established in Government hospitals through All India Institute of Medical science (AIIMS), New Delhi.
- 124 District De-addiction Centres (DDACs) which provides all three facilities provided by IRCA, ODIC and CPLI under one roof have been set up so far.
- A Toll-free Helpline for de-addiction, 14446 is operated for providing primary counseling and immediate assistance to persons seeking help.
- Government through its autonomous body National Institute of Social Defense (NISD) and other collaborating agencies like State Counsel of Educational Research and Training (SCERTs), Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, etc. provides for regular awareness generation and sensitization sessions for all stakeholders including students, teachers, parents.
- Navchetna Modules, teachers training modules have been developed by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJE) for sensitizing students (6th – 11th standard), teachers and parents on drug dependence, related coping strategies and life skills.
As per latest data published by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) pertaining to the year 2022; Drug-wise seizures under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act during 2018 to 2022 is at Annexure-I.
The Government made various efforts to tackle the illegal drug trade in border areas, some of which are as under: -
- A 4-tier Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) mechanism for ensuring better coordination between Central & State Drug Law Enforcement Agencies and other stakeholders in the field of controlling drug trafficking and drug abuse in India has been established. An all-in-one NCORD portal has been developed for information related to drug law enforcement.
- A dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) headed by Additional Director General/ Inspector General level Police Officer has been established in each State/ Union Territory to function as the NCORD Secretariat for the State/ Union Territory and follow-up on compliance of decisions taken in NCORD meetings at different levels.
- To monitor the investigation of important and significant seizures, a Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) under the Chairmanship of Director General, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has been set up.
- National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been empowered under NDPS Act, 1985 in the year 2020 for investigation of narco-terrorism cases.
- Border Guarding Forces (Border Security Force, Assam Rifles and Sashastra Seema Bal) have been empowered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 to carry out search, seizure and arrest for illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs at international border. Further, Railway Protection Force (RPF) has also been empowered under NDPS Act to check drug trafficking along the railway routes.
- Narcotics Control Bureau coordinates with other agencies like, Navy, Coast Guard, Border Security Force, State ANTF, etc. to conduct joint operations to control the drug trafficking.
- A high level dedicated group has been created in National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) in November 2022 to analyze the drug trafficking through maritime routes, challenges and solutions (Maritime Security Group – NSCS).
- Director General Level Talks are organized with neighboring and other countries such as Myanmar, Iran, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Singapore, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, etc. to resolve various issues on drug trafficking having international implications.
- As a part of international co-operation, India has signed Bilateral Agreements with 27 countries, Memorandum of Understanding with 16 countries and Agreements on Security Cooperation with 02 countries for combating illicit trafficking of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) and Chemical Precursors as well as related offences.
- India is closely associated with International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) and all its programs viz. PEN (Pre-Export Notification), PICS (Precursors Incident Communication System), and IONICS (International Operations on New Psychoactive Substances Incident Communication System).
- Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) co-ordinates with various international organizations such as South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation- Drug Offences Monitoring Desk (SAARC-SDOMD), Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS), Colombo Plan, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Matters (ASOD), Bay of Bengal Initiative For Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Co-Operation (BIMSTEC), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC),
International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), etc. for sharing information and intelligence to combat trans-national drug trafficking.
- NCB India takes part in real-time information sharing with various Drug Liaison Officers of other countries such as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) of the United States of America, the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) of Canada, Australian Federal Police (AFP) of Australia, Office Anti-Stupefiants (OFAST) of France, etc for operational and intelligence information.
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