Lok Sabha Question No. 3399 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-16
Subject: Drug Problems
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: N.K. Premachandran

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

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3399 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2021

## DRUG PROBLEMS

## 3399. SHRI N.K PREMACHANDRAN:

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

a) whether the Government proposes to address the problems and if so, the details of the action taken thereon: drug

(b) whether the Government has analysed the issues due to abuse and if so, the details thereof: drug

(c) whether it has come to the notice of the Government that use disorders are becoming a social issue and if so. the action taken thereon; drug

(d) whether the Government has initiated any action for early detection of abuse of drugs;

- (e) if so, the details thereof:
- whether the Government proposes to strengthen the mechanism for control of abuse; and drug

g if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)

(a). (c), (d) (e) (f) & (g): Action taken by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for early detection and t0 address the problems are as under: drug

(i) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment implements the scheme of National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction under which financial  assistance is provided to 'NGOs/VOs for running and maintenance of Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts (IRCAs), Community based peer Led Intervention (CPLI) for early Drug Use Prevention among Adolescents  and Outreach and In Centres (ODIC) and Addiction treatment facilities (ATFs) in Government Hospitals' . Drop

(ii) The   Ministry has launched Nasha Mukt Bharat  Abhiyaan   (NMBA) in 272 identified vulnerable districts with an aim to create awareness about ill effects of substance abuse among the youth. with special focus on higher education institutes, university campuses and schools and reaching out into the community and concerned States/ UTs have been directed to launch their NMBA\_

(iii)   Ministry has developed Navchetna Modules to be followed in the schools for generating awareness among the children; teachers and parents about ill effect of substance abuse under the scheme of NAPDDR.

(iv) Under   Community Based Peer-Led Intervention   (CPLI), focus has been   placed on vulnerable and at risk children and adolescents in the community. Under the project, children between 10 to 18 years. are enrolled as peer educators who would in turn engage children in the community in awareness generation and life skills activities aged

(v) The Outreach and  Drop In Centres (ODICs) provide safe and  secure drop-in space  for substance users in the community: These centres have the provision of screening; assessment and counseling and thereafter provide referral and linkage to treatment and rehabilitation services for substance dependents

(vi) Ministry is taking all measures and actions needed to strengthen the mechanism for demand reduction  and control of use of substances: Under Nasha Mukt Bharat  Abhiyaan,  several awareness generation and sensitization programs are conducted in the identified 272 districts of the country being

(b): To analyse the extent of abuse in the  country, Ministry  of Social  Justice and empowerment has conducted the first National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India   through the National Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) of the Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi during 2018. The report of the survey was released in February. 2019. The report of the Survey presents the major findings in terms of proportion of Indian population using various substances and those affected by substance use disorders. As per the report, Alcohol is the most common psychoactive   substance used by Indians  followed by Cannabis and Opioids About 16 Crore persons consume alcohol in the Country- 3.10 Crore individuals use cannabis products and 2.26 Crore use opioids 2.40 More than 5.70 Crore individuals are affected by harmful or dependent alcohol use and need help for their alcohol use problems, about 25 lakh suffer from cannabis dependence and approximately 77 lakh individuals are estimated t0 need help for their opioid use problems. drug Drug

It is as a result of the survey findings and in order to prevent the Substance use and dependence in the Country. the Ministry formulated and enacted National Action Plan for Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) to be implemented through a of 2018-2025 . Also to have an umbrella scheme under which projects and schemes can be implemented through both modes of funding as in a central sector and a centrally sponsored scheme, the earlier Scheme of Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse has been merged into NAPDDR The resultant scheme of NAPDDR is an umbrella scheme under which all the projects, components and interventions have a focused manner  with  flexible utilization of funds allocated and human resources engaged for the scheme. Drug period

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