New Delhi Jan 11 (UNI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that the government is determined to destroy the entire ecosystem of narco terror and called for unified efforts to eradicate this evil.
Shah while chairing a Regional Conference on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security’ at Vigyan Bhavan here, urged both the union and state governments, along with all relevant departments, to work collaboratively with dedication and commitment to eradicate this evil, a Home Ministry statement said.
The Home Minister said that the government has changed its approach against drugs since 2019. Adding that the Modi government is moving forward with a ruthless approach against the drug supply chain, a strategic approach for demand reduction, and a human approach for the victims.
He said that there was a need to increase the use of PIT-NDPS (Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act). Shah emphasized the need to strategically and cautiously expand the use of legal provisions for asset confiscation.
The Home Minister also urged states to take proactive steps to enhance the capacity of Forensic Labs (FSL) instead of relying solely on the Centre for support.
He stressed upon the importance of investigating drug cases using both ‘top-to-bottom’ and ‘bottom-to-top’ approaches. Shahg highlighted that no narcotics case should be treated as an isolated incident, and investigations must continue until the entire network behind it is uncovered.
Shah urged that each case should be seen as an opportunity to dismantle a broader network, ensuring the fight against drugs reaches its logical conclusion. He stressed the critical role of financial investigations in tackling the drug trade, including seizing properties linked to illicit activities. Adding that no major case should be concluded without a thorough financial investigation, the Minister said.
"To ensure the success of the Whole of Government Approach, NCORD meetings must be conducted with greater vigilance, increased frequency, and a focus on achieving tangible results with full sensitivity," Shah said.
He called upon all states to hold district-level NCORD meetings, highlighting that making one district drug-free could pave the way for a drug-free nation. The Home Minister underscored the importance of incorporating geo-tagging, time stamping, and videography during seizures to ensure greater success in combating the menace of drugs.
Shah said that a public movement and awareness against drugs are also important, and the education, social welfare and health departments should also work with promptness. He added that state government officials should make maximum use of the NIDAAN (National Integrated Database on Arrested Narco Offenders) portal.
The Home Minister said that the NCB should train all state government's narcotics units and prosecution teams to ensure a 100 percent conviction rate in drug cases. State governments must take the lead in establishing special NDPS courts so that delays in the action on registered cases do not hinder the fight against drugs.
Stating that seven percent people in India use drugs illegally, Shah said, "Now is the time when we can all contribute to this fight and succeed in winning it. If we miss this opportunity today, there will be no chance to reverse it later. We have the example of several western countries where drugs have become a serious issue, and they have no solution to it".
He added that no country can move ahead in the race for development, achieve success, or remain secure with its youth entangled in drug abuse. He said that everyone should join the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’ campaign with sensitivity and take a pledge that neither will we allow drugs to come into the country nor will we allow them to go for illegal sale anywhere outside our country and we will all work together to make India drug-free.
The Home Minister informed that in 2024, the NCB and police forces across India seized drugs valued at Rs 16,914 crore—the highest figure since independence—indicating significant progress in the campaign against this menace.
Meanwhile, Shah also launched the Drug Disposal Fortnight, inaugurated the new office complex of Bhopal Zonal Unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and extension of MANAS-2 helpline to all 36 states and Union Territories.
Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh Gulab Chand Kataria, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister of Haryana Nayab Singh Saini, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Singh Mann and Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami joined the conference virtually.
Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Vinai Kumar Saxena, Union Home Secretary, Director of Intelligence Bureau, Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau, senior officials from the eight participating States and Union Territories, senior officers from various Union Ministries, Departments and Law Enforcement Agencies also attended the conference.
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