Lok Sabha Question No. 3583 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-10
Subject: Prevention of Drug Abuse
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Ram Swaroop Sharma

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

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. +3583 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.12.2019

## PREVENTION OF DRUG ABUSE

## +3583. SHRI RAM SWAROOP SHARMA:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to take any stringent measures to check the intake of heroine and other narcotics;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not; the reasons therefor; and
- the time by which the Government is likely to take stringent measures for prevention and treatment of substanceldrug abuse?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated a National  Action Plan  for Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) for 2018-2025. The Plan   aims at  reduction of adverse consequences of abuse through a multi-pronged strategy. The activities under the NAPDDR inter-alia, include awareness generation programmes in schools/colleges/Universities,workshops/seminars/ with parents community based peerled interactions intervention programmes for   vulnerable adolescent and  youth  in the community; provisioning of treatment facilities and capacity building of service providers Drug drug

The Ministry also 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 based on the   recommendations of State Governments/UT Administrations for running Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts to provide compositelintegrated services for the rehabilitation of addicts including adolescents. The Ministry has also approved the proposal of National Dependence Treatment Centre, All India Institute of' Medical  Sciences (NDDTC, AIIMS) for providing financial assistance for establishment of Addiction Treatment Facilities at 125 Govt. Hospitals in phase manner for over a period of three years. Drug

The Ministry has identified 127 districts across the country for establishing Outreach and in Centres (ODIC) to conduct outreach activities in the community for prevention of abuse with a Drop drug undertaking Community based Peer led Intervention (CPLI) programmes in 68 vulnerable districts for early prevention education specially for vulnerable adolescents and youth in the community.

So far as the steps taken to curb intake of heroine & other narcotics in the country is concerned, Deptt: of Revenue, Ministry of Finance have informed that the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act; 1985 prohibit, the manufacture, production, trade, use etc of narcotics and psychotropic substances, except for medical or scientific purposes. The Act provides for stringent penalties/rigorous provisions for illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. NDPS Act follows graded punishment, wherein quantum of punishment is decided on the basis of the quality of the drugs involved in the trafficking: The enforcement agencies of Central and State Governments have been empowered to enforce the provisions of the Act, and adopt various measures, inter-alia, including (i) intensive preventive and interdiction efforts known routes, (ii) strengthening of the intelligence system, and (iv) bilateral/multilateral cooperation with other countries for sharing of information on illicit trafficking: drugs along drug