DRUG MENACE

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Context: The Regional Conference on "Drug Trafficking and National Security" was held in Bengaluru (Karnataka), under the leadership of the Union Home Minister.

Details

• The Regional Conference on "Drug Trafficking and National Security" was chaired by the union home minister.
• Representatives from 3 union territories and 5 southern states attended the summit.
• 9,298 kg of seized drugs were destroyed in the presence of the Union Home Minister.
• A Memorandum of Understanding between Rashtriya Raksha University and the Government of Karnataka was also signed during the conference to establish a new campus for the university in Shivamogga.

Highlights of the Home Minister's speech

• He said that the government has implemented a zero-tolerance drug policy to create a drug-free India.
• He highlighted that the issue of drug trafficking is a national one, and as such, efforts to address it should be coordinated and carried out on a national level rather than just by a single state or the Center.

Government taking strict action

• The Home Minister stated that between 2006 and 2013, a total of 1257 cases were registered; from 2014 and 2022, this figure climbed by 152% to 3172, while the total number of arrests during this time increased by 260% to 4888 from 1362.
• He said that a total of 1.52 lakh kg of narcotics were found between 2006-2013, and this number climbed to 3.30 lakh kg between 2014-2022.
  • Drugs worth Rs 768 crore were found between 2006-2013, and this figure increased by a rate of 25 to Rs 20,000 crore between 2014-2022.
• He stated that a target was set to destroy 75,000 kilograms of drugs during the 75-day Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav campaign beginning on June 01, 2022. However, a total of 5, 94,620 kg of illegal drugs worth Rs 8,409 crore have been destroyed thus far, exceeding the goal in a significant way.

Government Strategy to deal with the issue

• The Home Minister said that a three-pronged strategy had been used by the Ministry of Home Affairs to combat drugs. This three-pronged strategy includes;
  • Strengthening institutional structures.
  • Empowering all organisations involved in drug control and improving cooperation between them.
  • Launching a public awareness campaign.
• He said that there are four pillars of the Government’s campaign to eliminate the menace of drugs from India:
  • Detection of drugs
  • Destruction of the Network
  • Detention of culprits
  • Rehabilitation of drugs abusers

Suggestions made by the Home Minister

• He stressed the need for rigorous investigations of drug cases from the bottom up and from the top down to take down the entire network. He said that no case should be looked into in isolation.
• He advised that for successful action against drug trafficking, all states should make appropriate use of the NCORD portal and NIDAAN platform.
• He said that strengthening the Anti-Narcotics Task Forces established in various states was also urgently required to take decisive action in the war on drugs.
• He highlighted that the government has taken a "Whole of the Government" approach to the drug fight, and all ministries and agencies should move towards creating a drug-free India by enhancing cooperation, coordination, and collaboration.
• He stated that "Coastal security and maritime routes need to receive more attention, and the Southern Sea Route needs to be subjected to more scrutiny."
• He emphasised that the people must join the government in the fight against narcotics. He also underlined the significance of routinely scheduling Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) meetings at the state and district levels to address the problem.

Drug Menace in India

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/drug-menace-in-india

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1910348