Amit Shah addresses 7th Apex Level NCORD meeting, calls for national battle against drugs
New Delhi: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah chaired the 7th Apex Level Meeting of the Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD), urging for a nationwide battle against drug abuse on Thursday. Shah congratulated the agencies for their successes in the past five years but emphasised that only 10 per cent of the work is complete.
“The real battle starts now. Until every citizen below 35 decides to join this battle and every citizen above 35 decides to guide, we cannot win. This is why this battle must be taken to the 130 crore people of the nation,” said Shah. He called on all state and central agencies to adopt this goal and work together.
Shah highlighted the significance of the current period, Bharat’s Amrit Kaal, and stressed the necessity of a drug-free youth to achieve the nation’s goals by 2047. He advocated for weekly dedicated efforts, separate verticals, and reporting systems for the anti-drug campaign. In his speech, Shah acknowledged the progressive steps taken in the past five years through structural, institutional, and informational reforms, resulting in substantial drug seizures. Between 2004 and 2013, 1.52 lakh kg of drugs were seized, which increased to 5.43 lakh kg from 2014 to 2024. The value of the seized drugs rose from Rs. 5,933 crore to over Rs. 22,000 crore in the same period.
Shah underscored the debilitating effects of drug addiction on the younger generation and its link to narco-terrorism and economic threats like hawala transactions and tax evasion. He stressed the importance of a comprehensive approach, targeting both the supply chain and demand reduction.
Addressing the challenges of synthetic drugs, Shah urged the agencies to locate and shut down illegal labs across the states. He emphasised the need for international cooperation to prevent the entry and exit of drugs through Bharat.
Shah called for integrated efforts at the national level, with NCORD meetings serving as decision-making and review forums. He urged districts to set goals, track rehabilitated youths, and uncover the nexus between drug trade and economic offenses.
He advocated for a shift from a “need-to-know” to a “duty-to-share” policy among agencies and called for a relentless approach to dismantle drug supply chains, strategic demand reduction, and humane harm reduction.
Shah also announced the launch of the Manas portal, capacity building for the Center of Excellence for Narcotics Control, and the initiation of Mission Spandan, a movement against drugs. He emphasised the need for state-level Joint Coordination Committees and strict financial investigation reviews.
In addition, Shah virtually inaugurated the Zonal Office of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Srinagar. He also released the NCB’s ‘Annual Report 2023’ and a compendium on ‘Drug-Free India.’
