‘Ruthless on supply’: Shah unveils 3-year plan for drug-free India

NEW DELHI: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, on Friday, chaired the 9th apex-level meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) in New Delhi and inaugurated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) office in Amritsar. The hybrid-format meeting was organised by NCB and joined by key stakeholders from central ministries, state governments and drug law enforcement agencies.

Addressing the gathering, Shah said that all departments of the Government of India must prepare a clear roadmap up to 2029 with a time-bound review mechanism to tackle the drug menace more effectively. He described narcotics as not merely a law-and-order issue but a serious challenge linked to narco-terrorism and a conspiracy that threatens the country’s future generations.

The Home Minister announced that with effect from March 31, 2026, a coordinated three-year nationwide campaign would be launched against drugs. It will define the role of all the stakeholders, lay down clear targets and ensure periodic reviews. Shah said under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, India has achieved significant success in the fight against drugs over the last 11 years, particularly after the restructuring of NCORD in 2019.

Shah described the strategy of the government, saying it would be based on three pillars: ruthlessness against the supply chain of drugs, strategicness towards demand reduction, and humanness for harm reduction. Shah insisted that there must not be any leniency as far as the people manufacturing and selling drugs are concerned, while the victims of drug abuse must be treated with compassion.