Amit Shah calls for unified effort to eradicate drug menace in India

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday called on all states to collaborate with the central government in the fight against the drug menace, vowing to eradicate it entirely from the nation and pledging that not a single kilogram of narcotics will either enter India or be smuggled out of the country.

Shah’s appeal came while addressing a regional conference on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security’ in the national capital to address growing concern about drug trafficking and its impact on national security, with a special focus on eight states and Union Territories of northern India that included Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Shah said the conference for the northern states is called to take stock of the situation of drug trafficking and national security.

For the last two years, Shah said, it has been a routine that in the regional conference, “we review our fight against drugs,” discussions also take place and later the Home Ministry makes a new strategy on this basis and shares it with the states.

As per Shah, the police and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have succeeded in seizing drugs worth Rs 16,914 crores in 2024, breaking all records of the value of seized drugs. “This is the biggest figure after independence.”

Noting that the country has made remarkable progress in its fight against drug abuse under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah emphasized that over the last decade, the efforts to curb drug trafficking and abuse have strengthened significantly, with data pointing to a clear trajectory of success.

“In the last 10 years, the fight against drugs has become very strong under the leadership of PM Modi,” said Shah. “If we look at the figures, we come to know that we are very close to success in the fight and moving in the right direction.”

Highlighting the substantial increase in drug seizures, Shah compared the figures from 2004-2014 and 2014-2024.

“In the last 10 years, the fight against drugs has become very strong under the leadership of PM Modi. If we look at the figures, we come to know that we are very close to success in the fight and moving in the right direction. From 2004 to 2014, about 3 lakh 63 thousand kg of drugs were seized.

“There is no count of the number of tablets, there has been such an increase, but against these 3 lakh 63 thousand kg, we have seized 24 lakh kg within 10 years. This is a 7-fold increase,” Shah said.

Shah remarked that it was a very big achievement, and “our efforts are getting a good response from the public, the courts, and the entire ecosystem.”

He also pointed to the financial implications of the crackdown. “The value of drugs disposed of between 2004 and 2014 was Rs 8,150 crore. In the last decade, this figure has skyrocketed to Rs 56,851 crore, marking an eightfold increase.”

The Union Minister’s address underscored the government’s commitment to eradicating drug abuse, a mission he believes is receiving widespread support across various sectors.

The Conference was attended by the Governors, Lieutenant Governors, Chief Ministers and senior officers from eight participating states and UTs. Other dignitaries from states and UTs joined the conference through video conference while Lieutenant Governor of Delhi was physically present there.

Senior officers from various ministries, departments, and law enforcement agencies also attend the conference.

During the conference, organised by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Shah launched the Drug Disposal Fortnight, inaugurate the new office complex of the NCB’s Bhopal zonal unit and extension of the MANAS-2 helpline to all 36 states and Union Territories.

The conference focussed on the sharing of real-time information from the National Narcotics Helpline ‘MANAS’ portal with the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of States and Union Territories, evaluating the progress of States in combating drug trafficking, and assessing the effectiveness of the Narcotics Coordination Mechanism (NCORD).

It also focussed on strengthening and enhancing the functionality of State Forensic Science Laboratories (SFSLs), utilizing the NIDAAN database to bolster efforts against drug trafficking, implementing provisions of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act, establishing special NDPS courts for the speedy trial of drug-related cases, and fostering a Whole-of-Government approach to ensure comprehensive collaboration among all agencies to combat drug trafficking and abuse effectively.

During the drug disposal fortnight starting from today (January 11 to January 25), a total of 44,792 kilograms of seized narcotics, whose international market value is Rs 2411 crore, will be disposed of.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is implementing a three-pronged strategy to achieve a drug-free India by 2047. This includes strengthening institutional frameworks, enhancing coordination among narcotics agencies, and launching a massive public awareness campaign.