Amit Shah inaugurate conference on drug trafficking, national security in Chandigarh

Tags: National News

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the “Conference on Drug Trafficking and National Security” on July 30, 2022.

Important facts

• During this conference, more than 30,000 kg of narcotic drugs were burnt and disposed of at Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai.

• NCB had launched the Drug Disposal Campaign on 1st June 2022.

• Till July 29, more than 51,217 kg of narcotics have been disposed of in 11 states.

• As a part of the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebrations, NCB has pledged to dispose of 75000 kgs of drugs.

Drug addiction in India

• India is situated between the world's two largest opium producing regions (the 'Golden Triangle' on one side and the 'Golden Crescent' on the other).

• The 'Golden Triangle' region includes Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos.

• The 'Golden Crescent' region includes Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran.

• According to the World Drug Report 2021, prescription drugs and their ingredients are increasingly being converted into recreational use in India (the world's largest producer of generic drugs).

• India is also linked to shipments of drugs sold in the 19 major darknet markets analysed in 2011-2020.

• According to the report released by the Ministry of Social Justice and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on the quantum of substance abuse in 2019.

• There are 31 million cannabis users in India (of which 2.5 million were dependent users).

• There are 23 million opioid users in India (of which 2.8 million were dependent users).

Other Related Initiatives

• Narco-Coordination Centre- Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) was constituted in November 2016 and the scheme "Financial Assistance to States for Narcotics Control" was revived.

• Project Sunrise- It was launched in 2016 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to tackle the rising HIV prevalence in the North-Eastern states of India, especially among those who inject drugs.

• NDPS Act- It prohibits a person from producing, possessing, selling, buying, transporting, storing and/or consuming any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance.

• The NDPS Act has been amended thrice so far - in 1988, 2001 and 2014.

• The Act applies to the whole of India as well as to all Indian citizens outside India and all persons employed on ships and aircraft registered in India.

• Drug Free India- Government has also announced the launch of 'Nasha Mukt Bharat' or Drug Free India campaign which focuses on community outreach programmes.

About Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) 

• NCB was established in 1986.

• NCB is an Indian central law enforcement and intelligence agency.

• It works under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

• It helps in combating drug trafficking as well as use of illegal substances as per the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

• It coordinates drug-related matters with state governments and other central departments in India.