Lok Sabha Question No. 865 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-01
Subject: Illegal Activities in Malda
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVNTHI)

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 865

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 1 ST  MARCH, 2016/PHALGUNA 11, 1937 (SAKA)

Illegal Activities in Malda

865. SHRI MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVANTHI):

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether Malda in West Bengal has emerged as the hot bed for illegal poppy cultivation, illegal arms and fake currency notes;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the reaction of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HARIBHAI PARATHIBHAI CHAUDHARY)

(a) & (b):    Yes  Madam,  Incidence of Illicit  Opium  Cultivation has  been found in malda district of West Bengal. Central Bureau of Narcotics has informed that Satellite surveys of illicit opium cultivation carried under the  supervision  of  Central  Economic  Intelligence  Bureau  (CEIB)  and they share the images with the Narcotics Control Bureau and Central Bureau of Narcotics. The NCB in coordination with the CBN and state authorities, carry out destruction operations.

NCB  and  other  enforcement  agencies  have  conducted  destruction operation of illicit opium cultivation in Malda and details are as under:

LS.USQ.No. 865 FOR 1.3.2016

| DISTRICT   | 2013-14   | 2014-15   | 2015-16 (till   |
|------------|-----------|-----------|-----------------|
| Malda,     | 1137.5    | 2883.33   | 3708            |
| W.B.       | Acres     | Acres     | Acres           |

While  no  data  with  respect  ot  illegal  arms  is  maintained,  the  West Bengal-Bangladesh  border  has  been  identified  as  a  major  source  of influx  of  fake  Indian  currency  notes  into  India.  The  Malda  district  of West Bengal has been identified as a hub of these activities.

## (c):   STEPS TO CONTRAL ILLICIT OPIUM CULTIVATION:

- (i) NCB  has  been  co-ordinating  with  the  Government  of  West Bengal  and  Enforcement  Agencies  viz.  State  Excise,  Police and Border Guarding Forces viz. BSF.
- (ii) Action  Plan  has  been  prepared  in  co-ordination  with  the State  Government  to  prevent  and  control  the  incidence  of illicit Opium Poppy Cultivation.
- (iii) Close co-ordination is being maintained with District Administration of Malda.

## LS.USQ.No. 865 FOR 1.3.2016

- (iv) Ground survey, identification of Illicit Poppy crop  and destruction operation in being undertaken.

## STEPS TO CONTROL FICN:

- (i) The Government has convened meetings with the Intelligence/Security Agencies at the Central and State level and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to find ways to contain this menace especially in Malda district. This includes sensitization  of  the  local  police  about  the  damage  being done to the economy by FICN smuggling, better coordination and information sharing between the Central and State Law Enforcement  Agencies  on  FICN  suppliers  in  the  region  and developing red flag indicators concerning FICN smuggling.
- (ii) The CBI & NIA are the central agencies for investigation of FICN cases. The NIA has also constituted a Terror Funding and Fake Currency  Cell  (TFFC)  in  NIA  to  investigate  Terror Funding and Fake currency cases. One special FICN Coordination Group (F- COORD) has been formed by the MHA

## LS.USQ.No. 865 FOR 1.3.2016

to share intelligence/information among the different security agencies of States/Centre to counter the problem of circulation of FICN in the country.

- (iii) The legal regime has been strengthened by amendments in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 wherein damage  to  the  monetary stability of India by way  of production  or  smuggling  or  circulation  of  high  quality  fake Indian  paper  currency  coin  or  any  other  material  has  been declared as a terrorist act.
- (iv) The  Memorandum  of  Understanding  signed  between  India and  Bangladesh  to  prevent  and  counter  smuggling  and circulation  of  fake  currency  notes  will  promote  bilateral cooperation in the field of preventing and combating, production, smuggling and circulation of fake currency notes, A standard operating procedure has been finalized in the  third  Joint  Task  Force  Meeting  held  in  New  Delhi  from 22-23  February,  2016  to  implement  the  memorandum  of Understanding.
- (v) The Reserve Bank of India conducts awareness programmes to make the public aware of the features of Indian Bank

## LS.USQ.No. 865 FOR 1.3.2016

Notes  and  to  identify  genuine  Indian  Bank  Notes.  It  also conducts  training  programmes  on  detection  of  counterfeit for the employees/officers of Banks and other organizations and link large amount of cash.

- (vi) To prevent the smuggling of fake currency notes into India, the  staff  posted  at  airports,  railway  stations  and  border posts  have  been  sensitized  form  time  to  time  which  has resulted in significant hauls of FICN in these locations.

*****