Lok Sabha Question No. 3545 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-10
Subject: Drug Trafficking
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Umesh G. Jadhav, Prathap Simha, L.S. Tejasvi Surya, B. Y. Raghavendra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3545

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10 TH  AUGUST, 2021/ SRAVANA 19, 1943 (SAKA) DRUG TRAFFICKING

3545.     DR. UMESH G. JADHAV:

SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

SHRI L.S. TEJASVI SURYA:

SHRI B.Y. RAGHAVENDRA:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Narcotics  Control  Bureau  (NCB)  has  undertaken  any special  measures  to  curb  the  drug  menace  afflicting  youngsters  across colleges and universities  in  the  country,  if  so,  the  details  thereof,  Statewise;
- (b)  whether the NCB has probed the source of illicit drug trafficking into the hands of gullible and innocent youngsters, if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  special  funds  have  been  allocated  for  drug  control  and  drug rehabilitation  of  youngsters  in  the  country,  if  so,  the  details  thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (d) whether the Government has taken any steps to ban online purchase of medicines containing drugs related chemicals without prescription of the doctors; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the time by which the Government proposes initiate steps in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a): Narcotics  Control  Bureau  (NCB)  has  undertaken  various  actions and  awareness  programmes  to  curb  the  drug  menace  affecting  the youngsters.  A  joint  action  plan  on  Prevention  of  Drugs  and  Substance abuse among   children   was launched on 09.02.2021,  as  a  special  drive,

## L.S.US.Q. NO.3545 FOR 10.08.2021

by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) with active support  of  NCB.  The  Joint  Action  Plan  is  a  platform  for  all  Central  and State agencies fighting against drugs and Agencies related with welfare of children to come together and work in vulnerable areas. NCB has already identified 272 such districts in India, which are vulnerable from the point of view of Drug trafficking and abuse and the same was shared with Ministry of  Social  Justice  &  Empowerment  (MoSJE)  &  NCPCR.  In  addition  to  the above,  NCB  has  conducted  many  awareness  campaigns  through  social media and online/physical programmes in schools, colleges and corporate offices, etc.

(b): Narcotics  Control  Bureau  carries  out  proper  investigation  in  all seizure cases of drugs trafficking. The backward and forward linkages of the cases are investigated to make sure the drug trafficking syndicate is neutralized. Efforts are also made to arrest the source/kingpin of the drug trafficking  network.  Details  of  the  seizures  made  by  NCB  during  the  last three years and arrested drug traffickers in these cases are as follows:-

| Nomenclature   | Nomenclature   |   2019 |   2020 |   2021* (upto 24.06.2021) |
|----------------|----------------|--------|--------|---------------------------|
| Total cases    | Total cases    |    385 |    412 |                       301 |
| Total          | Indian         |    547 |    565 |                       514 |
| Arrests        | Foreigner      |     95 |     62 |                        38 |

## L.S.US.Q. NO.3545 FOR 10.08.2021

(c): The Government of India provides assistance to the State Governments to strengthen their  enforcement  capabilities  for  combating illicit  trafficking  in  Narcotics  Drugs  and  Psychotropic  Substances.  In  the Financial year 2020-21, assistance to the tune of Rs. 2.54 crore has been given  to  06  states,  i.e.,  Gujarat,  Haryana,  Himachal  Pradesh,  Mizoram, Tamil Nadu and Tripura.

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment implements the scheme of National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR), under which financial assistance is provided to Non-Governmental Organizations/Voluntary  Organizations  for  running  and  maintenance  of Integrated  Rehabilitation  Centre  for  Addicts  (IRCAs),  Community  based Peer Led Intervention (CPLI) for early  Drug  Use  Prevention  among Adolescents  and  Outreach  and  Drop  In  Centers  (ODIC)  and  Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) in Government Hospitals. An amount of Rs. 260 Crore  has  been  allotted  for  implementation  of  NAPDDR  in  the  current financial year 2021-22.

(d) & (e): In  order  to  regulate  online  sale  of  medicines,  the  Ministry  of Health and Family Welfare has already initiated the process of consultation  with  the  stakeholders  for  bringing  out  suitable  legislation containing provisions for registration of e-pharmacy, prohibition of sale of certain categories of drugs through e-pharmacy, monitoring of e-pharmacy etc.

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