New Delhi: Reiterating the government’s commitment to “zero tolerance policy” on drug abuse and the need to crack down on forces trying to weaken the youth of the country by using drugs as a tool, junior home minister Nityanand Rai shared data showing that between 2014 and 2022 over 62.60 lakh kilograms of drugs were seized, which was an increase of 180% when compared to the 22.45 lakh kilograms of drugs seizure reported between 2006 and 2013.
Rai was speaking at a programme organised by the Union ministry of social justice on Thursday, to officially dedicate 25 addiction treatment facilities (ATFs) set up in government hospitals in districts where there are no central government-supported de-addiction centres.
In terms of price, drugs seized during 2006-13 accounted for Rs 33,000 crore. For the period 2014-2022, the price of drugs seized accounted for about Rs 97,000 crore. If compared, Rai said, it reflects a more than three times increase.
During 2006-13, over 1.45 lakh cases were registered, which rose to over 4.14 lakh between 2014 and 2022, accounting for a rise of around 125%. As far as arrests go, between 2006 and 2013, the number was over 1.62 lakh, which shot up to over 5.23 lakh between 2014 and 2022, accounting for a 220% increase.
According to officials, most of the 25 ATFs that were dedicated on Thursday have started offering services to patients and the others will be functional soon. More such facilities will be rolled out over the months to cover all 125 vulnerable districts. The National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), has been entrusted with the task of setting up 125 ATFs in government hospitals in the identified districts.
Minister for social justice and empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar asserted that ATF was a critical facility and the need of the hour. He highlighted that under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA), 372 vulnerable districts have been identified for outreach measures on priority. He agreed with Rai’s assertion that it is important to combat the forces trying to weaken the youth of the country by luring them towards drugs. He shared that the government will also be focussing on border villages to protect the youth from being drawn into the drug nexus.
Rai was speaking at a programme organised by the Union ministry of social justice on Thursday, to officially dedicate 25 addiction treatment facilities (ATFs) set up in government hospitals in districts where there are no central government-supported de-addiction centres.
In terms of price, drugs seized during 2006-13 accounted for Rs 33,000 crore. For the period 2014-2022, the price of drugs seized accounted for about Rs 97,000 crore. If compared, Rai said, it reflects a more than three times increase.
During 2006-13, over 1.45 lakh cases were registered, which rose to over 4.14 lakh between 2014 and 2022, accounting for a rise of around 125%. As far as arrests go, between 2006 and 2013, the number was over 1.62 lakh, which shot up to over 5.23 lakh between 2014 and 2022, accounting for a 220% increase.
According to officials, most of the 25 ATFs that were dedicated on Thursday have started offering services to patients and the others will be functional soon. More such facilities will be rolled out over the months to cover all 125 vulnerable districts. The National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), has been entrusted with the task of setting up 125 ATFs in government hospitals in the identified districts.
Minister for social justice and empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar asserted that ATF was a critical facility and the need of the hour. He highlighted that under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA), 372 vulnerable districts have been identified for outreach measures on priority. He agreed with Rai’s assertion that it is important to combat the forces trying to weaken the youth of the country by luring them towards drugs. He shared that the government will also be focussing on border villages to protect the youth from being drawn into the drug nexus.