Lok Sabha Question No. 517 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-06
Subject: Drug and Substance Abuse
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: MEENAKASHI LEKHI, B.V. NAYAK

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 517 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2018

## DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

## 517. SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI: SHRI B.V. NAIK:

## Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any data regarding drug and substance abuse in the country and if so, the details thereof during the last three years, State-wise;
- (b) the number of people who have died due to drug overdose during the said period, State-wise;
- (c) the status of the National Policy on Drug Demand Reduction, 2016;
- (d) the funds allocated for drug de-addiction projects by the Government during the said period; and
- (e) the other steps taken by the Government to counter the increasing menace of drug addiction, especially among the youth?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI VIJAY SAMPLA)

- (a) The  last  National  Survey  on  the  extent,  pattern  and  trend  of  drug  abuse  was  sponsored  by Ministry  of  Social  Justice  and  Empowerment  and  conducted  by  the  United  Nations  Office  on Drugs  and  Crime  in  the  year  2000-2001.  The  report  was  published  in  2004.    The  Survey estimated that about 7.32 Crore persons in India were users of alcohol and drugs. Of these 87 lakh  used  Cannabis,  20  lakh  used  opiates  and  6.25  Crore  were  users  of  Alcohol.  The  survey covered  40,697  individuals.  Only  males  within  the  age  group  of  12-60  years  were  part  of  the Survey.

The  Ministry  of  Social  Justice  and  Empowerment  is  now  undertaking  a  National  level Survey in collaboration with National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, AIIMS, New Delhi. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in August, 2016. The survey will provide national and state-level estimates of proportion and absolute number of individuals using various drugs and suffering from substance use disorders.

- (b) National Crime Records Bureau have informed that a total of 874, 750 and 757 persons have died due to drug overdose during 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively (data for the year 2016 is provisional  as  some  clarification  is  pending  from  States/UTs).  State/UT-wise  details  of  people who have died due to drug overdose are enclosed as Annexure. The drugs include narcotic drugs and medicinal drugs also.

(c)  The  Ministry  has  formulated  a  draft  National  Policy  on  Drug  Demand  Reduction  and  the same is being finalized.

(d)  This  Ministry  implements  a  'Central  Sector  Scheme  of  Assistance  for  Prevention  of Alcoholism  and  Substance  (Drug)  Abuse'  under  which  financial  assistance  is  provided  to eligible Non-Governmental Organizations, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Urban Local Bodies etc. for,  inter-alia,  running  and  maintenance  of  Integrated  Rehabilitation  Centres  for  Addicts.  The details of funds allocated under this Scheme during the last three years is given below:

| Year    |    BE |    RE |
|---------|-------|-------|
| 2014-15 | 50    | 35.11 |
| 2015-16 | 20.15 | 36.15 |
| 2016-17 | 35    | 46    |

(e) The Ministry has issued an Advisory on 11.08.2016 to all the States/UTs on combating drug abuse  which  advises  them  to  prepare  an  Action  Plan  which,  inter-alia,  includes  conducting sensitization and preventive education programmes in schools and colleges throughout the year.

The National Institute of Social Defence (NISD), an autonomous organization under this Ministry,  conducts  capacity building  programmes,  sensitization  and  preventive  education programmes in schools and colleges on regular basis. During the year 2016-17, they conducted 54  capacity  building  &  skill  development  programmes  imparting  training  to  1332  persons. During  the  year  2016-17,  they  have  also  conducted  207  awareness  generation  programme covering 15516 beneficiaries.

Till now, during the year 2017-18, NISD has conducted 68 capacity building programme imparting  training  to  2032  persons.  They  have  also  conducted  148  awareness  generation programme covering 17100 beneficiaries.

Besides, the Ministry has undertaken the following initiatives:-

- i) The  Ministry  has,  in  the  year  2016,  conducted  an  awareness  generation  programme,  in collaboration with Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY), to create awareness in children and youth about the harmful effects of substance abuse in 156 schools in 22 districts of Punjab covering about 52,800 students.
2. ii)   The Ministry organized two Regional Workshops during the year 2015-16, in collaboration with National Service Scheme (NSS), at Shillong and Indore. The Coordinators of NSS from all the North Eastern States, Odisha and West Bengal attended the Workshop at Shillong and NSS  Coordinators from Madhya  Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan attended the Workshop at Indore. The Programme was also attended by a large number of students.
3. iii)  The Ministry also uses print, electronic and social media for creating awareness. Information regarding ill-effects of alcoholism and drug abuse is also disseminated in regional languages through the All India Radio programme 'Sanwarti Jayen Jeevan Ki Rahen' and also through advertisements in newspapers.
4. iv)  The Ministry celebrates the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26th June every year by holding functions and organizing exhibitions to sensitize the people

about the  ill  effects  of  drug  abuse.  National  Awards  are  also  conferred  to  individuals  and institutions  in  order  to  recognize  the  efforts  and  encourage  excellence  in  the  field  of prevention of substance abuse.

- v)    The Ministry has set up a National Toll Free Drug De-addiction Helpline Number 1800-110031 w.e.f. 07.01.2015 to help the victims of drug abuse, their family and society at large. The Helpline has been made functional on 24 x 7 basis w.e.f. March, 2017.

Further,  Narcotics  Control  Bureau  (NCB)  have  informed  that  they  take  a  series  of measures  for  spreading  awareness  among  the  masses.  The  measures  include  the  following activities:

- i. Visit of NCB representative to Schools for conducting awareness programmes.
- ii. Display Boards in Pubs, Bars and Airports.
- iii. Display Boards in School Buses.
- iv. Drug Awareness Programme at prominent places.
- v. Celebration  of  26 th June  every  year  as  the  International  Day  against  Drug  Abuse  and Illicit Trafficking.
- vi. Rallies, Dramas are conducted regularly in association with NGOs to spread awareness programmes all over the country.
- vii. SMS alerts of Drug Awareness are flashed through mobile service providers.

Organization  of  Workshops  and  Seminars  in  coordination  with  various  Govt.  agencies  and NGOs in the country about ill effects of drug abuse and trafficking.

*****

Annexure [as referred in part (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 517 for answer on 06.02.2018]

State/UT-wise number of deaths due to drug overdose during 2014-2016 (year 2016 data is provisional)

| Sl. No.   | State/UT          | 2014   | 2015   | 2016*   |
|-----------|-------------------|--------|--------|---------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh    | 7      | 12     | 19      |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh | 0      | 0      | 0       |
| 3         | Assam             | 1      | 0      | 1       |
| 4         | Bihar             | 7      | 12     | 6       |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh      | 20     | 4      | 21      |
| 6         | Goa               | 1      | 2      | 0       |
| 7         | Gujarat           | 25     | 118    | 64      |
| 8         | Haryana           | 76     | 32     | 28      |
| 9         | Himachal Pradesh  | 4      | 42     | 27      |
| 10        | Jammu &Kashmir    | 0      | 1      | 3       |
| 11        | Jharkhand         | 14     | 8      | 33      |
| 12        | Karnataka         | 14     | 39     | 45      |
| 13        | Kerala            | 64     | 22     | 17      |
| 14        | Madhya Pradesh    | 40     | 14     | 58      |
| 15        | Maharashtra       | 28     | 75     | 42      |
| 16        | Manipur           | 2      | 3      | 3       |
| 17        | Meghalaya         | 1      | 1      | 2       |
| 18        | Mizoram           | 11     | 16     | 19      |
| 19        | Nagaland          | 0      | 1      | 1       |
| 20        | Odisha            | 8      | 18     | 5       |
| 21        | Punjab            | 186    | 144    | 138     |
| 22        | Rajasthan         | 23     | 33     | 64      |
| 23        | Sikkim            | 0      | 0      | 0       |
| 24        | Tamil Nadu        | 205    | 55     | 88      |
| 25        | Telangana         | 3      | 9      | 4       |
| 26        | Tripura           | 3      | 2      | 0       |
| 27        | Uttar Pradesh     | 31     | 36     | 0       |
| 28        | Uttarakhand       | 1      | 0      | 0       |
| 29        | West Bengal       | 36     | 5      | 5       |
|           | Total (States)    | 811    | 704    | 693     |
|           | Union Territories |        |        |         |
| 30        | A &NIslands       | 0      | 0      | 1       |
| 31        | Chandigarh        | 2      | 0      | 6       |
| 32        | D &NHaveli        | 0      | 1      | 0       |
| 33        | Daman &Diu        | 0      | 0      | 1       |
| 34        | Delhi (Ut)        | 17     | 12     | 4       |
| 35        | Lakshadweep       | 0      | 0      | 0       |
| 36        | Puducherry        | 44     | 33     | 52      |
|           | TOTAL (UTs)       | 63     | 46     | 64      |
|           | Total (All India) | 874    | 750    | 757     |

Source: Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India

*Data for the year 2016 is provisional as some clarification is pending from States/UTs