New Delhi, July 18: Union Home Minister Amit Shah today launched the National Narcotics Helpline ‘MANAS’ (Madak Padarth Nishedh Asuchna Kendra) and virtually inaugurated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Office at Srinagar.
Today, Shah chaired the 7th Apex Level Meeting of the Narco-Coordination Center (NCORD) in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. On this occasion, the Home Minister released NCB ‘Annual Report 2023’ and Compendium on ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’.
The Zonal office at Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir will focus on curbing drug trafficking through the northwestern border of India. NCB now has 30 zonal offices and 7 regional offices. The Annual Report-2023 of NCB highlights the efforts and accomplishments of NCB/all other agencies in its ongoing war against Drug Trafficking and Drug abuse.
It contains the data for seizures done by all agencies in recent years, the latest trends on drug trafficking, action under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (PITNDPS), financial investigation including action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), etc. The MANAS (Madak Padarth Nishedh Asuchna Kendra) will have a toll-free number 1933, a web portal, a mobile App, and a Umang App so that citizens can connect with NCB round-the-clock with anonymity to share information on drug peddling /trafficking or consult related to their issues like drug abuse, de-addiction and rehabilitation.
Illicit cultivation is one big menace to be tackled, and, NCB along with BISAG-N has developed a web portal and mobile app “MAPDRUGS” to curb illegal cultivation and provide accurate GIS information so that the concerned agencies can destroy such illicit cultivation.
In his address during the meeting, Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the fight against drugs is being carried out in a very serious manner and we have been successful in taking it forward as a campaign. He said that the real fight has begun now because we are at a crucial juncture in this fight. Shah said that unless every citizen of the country below the age of 35 does not pledge to fight this battle and every citizen above the age of 35 does not pledge to guide them, we cannot win this battle. He added that even the governments cannot win this battle, rather there should be an approach to take this battle to the 130-crore people of the country.
Union Home Minister said that Prime Minister Modi has set a target to make India first in every field by 2047, which is possible only by keeping the younger generation away from the scourge of drugs. He said that this fight against drugs is very important and it needs to be fought with seriousness and priority. He said that if we do not give top priority to this fight, we will not be able to win it. Shah said that Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a drug-free India is a huge challenge and a resolution. He said that we have now become aware and at this critical juncture if we fight together bravely, then we can win this fight.
Amit Shah said that in the last 5 years, the Modi Government has tried to fight this battle based on the ‘Whole of Government Approach’ and on the three pillars – Structural, Institutional, and Informational Reforms. He said that from the year 2004 to 2023, one lakh 52 thousand kg of drugs worth Rs 5,933 crore were seized, while in the ten years from 2014 to 2024, this quantity increased to 5,43,000 kg, which is worth more than Rs 22,000 crore. Shah said that due to the efforts of the Modi Government, many drug networks have been successfully dismantled.
Amit Shah said that all agencies, especially the state police, not only should aim to catch those who use drugs but also to catch those involved in its trade and dismantle the entire network. He said that for this, there is a need to emphasize ‘Top to Bottom’ and ‘Bottom to Top’ probes. He said that if a stock of drugs is caught on the country’s border, there is a need to investigate it and dismantle the entire network behind it. The Home Minister said that Gujarat has done a very good job of investigating many big drug cases with a ‘Top to Bottom’ and ‘Bottom to Top’ approach. He said that the problem of synthetic drugs is now coming to the fore in India as well and recently many illegal laboratories have been caught. He said that all the state investigation and other agencies should take detailed information about this from the NCB and work to stop such activities in their respective states. Shah said that our goal should be that neither will we allow even a single gram of drugs to enter India from anywhere nor will we allow India’s borders to be used in any way for drug trade. He said that drugs should be taken seriously wherever they come from or wherever they go and unless the whole world fights together, we cannot win this battle.
The Union Home Minister said that today the MANAS portal has also been launched and along with it many other initiatives have also been taken which will have to reach every unit of the states and districts. He said states should spend a part of their budget on narcotics forensics. He said, that soon, the government is going to provide kits for primary testing of narcotics at a cheaper rate, which will make filing of cases much easier. Shah said that the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has taken up the Nasha Mukt Bharat campaign well and all religious, youth and Rotary organizations should join it. Amit Shah said that we have a long way to go in this fight against drugs and now we have to increase its speed and scope. He said that we should leave no stone unturned to increase the speed and to increase the comprehensiveness, we have to take many colleagues along.
