In a bid to curb the rampant spread of drugs across rural India, the central government is preparing to introduce a new narco-drug test kit. This was announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the 7th Narco Coordination Center (NCORD) high-level meeting held in Delhi on July 18. The meeting discussed the challenges and necessary actions to tackle drug abuse and trafficking.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has released its 2023 annual report, and Amit Shah has launched a helpline called MANAS (Madak Padarth Nishidh Asuchan Kendra) with a toll-free number 1933. This helpline will serve to provide information on drug trafficking and assist those struggling with addiction.
Amit Shah emphasized the governmentās firm stance against the drug menace, noting that drugs are a significant threat to the nation's youth. He declared that the battle against drugs has just begun and that success can only be achieved if the entire population of 1.3 billion people joins the fight. He stressed the importance of a young and vibrant society for India's development by 2047, free from the chains of drug addiction.
In light of this, Amit Shah highlighted the necessity of giving top priority to the fight against drugs. Institutional reforms and widespread awareness campaigns are being undertaken as part of this effort. Statistics reveal that between 2004 and 2013, drugs worth Rs. 5,933 crores (1.52 lakh kg) were seized. From 2014 to the present, over Rs. 22,000 crores worth of drugs (5.43 lakh kg) have been confiscated. The Modi administration has dismantled numerous drug rackets.
Amit Shah described the efforts of enemy nations to distribute drugs widely in India as part of modern warfare strategies aimed at weakening the youth and, consequently, the nation. He stressed the need to uproot this menace from the ground up, instructing investigative agencies to trace the origins of seized drugs thoroughly and dismantle the entire network. The information regarding the MANAS portal and helpline should be disseminated to every district in every state.
The new narco-drug testing kits, which will soon be widely available, aim to expedite the process of testing samples collected from suspects. This will help in registering cases more quickly, as currently, samples are sent to central forensic labs, causing delays. With the new kits, immediate on-site testing and analysis will be possible, reducing the time required for case registration and preventing criminals from escaping.
The NCB, the central investigative agency, has 7 regional offices and 13 zonal offices across the country. The NCORD setup ensures coordination between agencies like the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), Border Security Force (BSF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Railway Protection Force (RPF), Indian Navy, and Coast Guard, along with state police departments.
Amit Shah urged the public to make use of the MANAS helpline number 1933 to report any drug-related information, contributing to the collective effort to combat the drug menace.
