Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah attended the first National Conference of Heads of Anti-Narcotics Task Force of States and Union Territories, as the Chief Guest, in New Delhi today. Shri Amit Shah also released the Annual Report (Special Edition), 2022 and Drug Free India, National Resolution Booklet of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). Shri Shah also launched a mobile app and web portal - 'Map Drugs' which will help in identifying and destruction of illegal farming in the country. Union Home Minister virtually inaugurated the office complex of NCB, Indore Regional Unit. On this occasion Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai, Union Home Secretary, and Director General of NCB, Shri S.N. Pradhan, were present along with other dignitaries.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, we are committed to build a drug-free India by 2047. He said that the vision of drug-free India is important for the future generations, and at this crucial stage in the fight against drugs, if we move forward with determination, collective efforts, “Team India” and “Whole of Government Approach”, then our victory is certain.

Union Home Minister said that today an app to identify illegal farming has been launched, the annual report of NCB has been released and the regional office of NCB in Indore has also been inaugurated. He said that all these steps would provide impetus to our fight against the narcotics. Shri Shah said that the young generations are the foundation for the development of our country, but narcotics is ruining these young generations, thereby weakening the foundation of country's development, and on such weak foundations a strong country cannot be built. He said that apart from ruining the youth of the country, smuggling of narcotics also affect the country's economy. Smuggling of narcotics not only impacts the economy of the country, but also compromises the national security and borders through narco- terror.

Shri Amit Shah said that while many countries across the globe have failed in the battle against narcotics, India is at a stage where we can win against this fight by moving forward with the determination of 130-crore people. He said that there can be three reasons for failure against this fight: It must be understood that it is not just the fight of the government, but of the people, that it is not the fight of any one department, but everyone has to fight it together with equal intensity. There should not be any mistake in the approach and our goal should be clear that one who consumes drugs is a victim and one who deals in drugs is a criminal, and they need to be dealt with firmly. Shri Shah said that we will definitely win if we work on it. He said, the Ministry of Home Affairs under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has devised a 3-point strategy -strengthening of institutional structure, coordination among all narco-agencies and comprehensive public awareness campaign. Shri Shah said that we should move forward with Team India and Whole of Government Approach. He said that one should rise above party politics and political ideology in this fight against the narcotics. He said that this battle has to be fought rising above party politics and political ideology. He said that with zero tolerance approach all state governments should move forward to achieve the goal of drug -free India.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the outcomes of the fight against drugs in the last three years have been encouraging. Shri Shah informed that while only about 1,257 cases were registered between the years 2006-2013, the number has increased by 181 percent to 3,544 between 2014-2022. During the same period, the total number of arrests increased by almost 300 percent to 5,408 as against 1,363 arrests. During 2006-2013, 1.52 lakh kilograms of drugs were seized which doubled to 3.73 lakh kilogram between the years 2014-2022. Drugs worth Rs. 768 crore were seized between 2006-2013, which has increased by more than 25 times to Rs. 22,000 crore between 2014-2022.

Shri Amit Shah said that we have to move forward with 'Bottom to Top' and 'Top to Bottom' approach to destroy the entire network of narcotics. He said that in a few selected interstate and international cases these approaches should be developed by giving them to NCB for proper investigation. He emphasised that the main objective of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force and this conference is ‘Solution Oriented Thinking’. He added that the Government of India has also constituted a Joint Coordination Committee to take all stakeholders together in the fight against drugs. Shri Shah said that all the states must make full use of the NCORD and NIDAN portals created by the NCB.

Union Home Minister said that we have two important weapons in the fight against drugs – PITNDPS and confiscation of property. He said that ruthless action should be taken against the drug dealers only then this fight will gain momentum. Shri Shah said that the states should work in coordination with the central agencies to curb the use of dark net and cryptocurrency. Along with this, all the states should also work together with the National Forensic Science University to use modern technologies like block chain analysis, map intelligence and digital forensics. He said that if we work well along with these techniques, we will find ourselves two steps ahead in this fight.

Shri Amit Shah said that unless drugs are destroyed through proper process, there will be chances of rotation of drugs due to corruption. He asked all the agencies that drugs destruction should be held in public, which would also help us in creating social awareness. Shri Shah said that all the States should work along with the State High Courts to set up NDPS and Fast Track Courts, which would result in speedy disposal of cases. He said that the central funds available for police modernization and upgradation of Forensic Science Laboratories (FSLs) should also be used for narco related FSL upgradation. He said that cases related to investigation of the commercial affairs of NDPS should be referred to ED and other agencies. Shri Shah said that our emphasis should be on dismantling the entire network. Apart from this, we also have to associate ourselves with rehabilitation and public awareness campaign, which will benefit us a lot.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Minister said that the first priority should be given to narcotics among the facilities provided by the Government of India under the Police Technology Mission. He said that meetings of all four level of NCORD, two at the central and two at the state, should be held regularly. He said that district level NCORD meeting is the most important. Shri Shah said that every state should equally make efforts to have district level NCORD meetings. He said that if all the information is uploaded on the centralized NCORD portal, it will help everyone in the form of Knowledge Management System. He said that our investigation must reach the international drug trafficking network and it is the responsibility of all the chiefs of Anti-Narcotics Task Forces to destroy all linkages of network in any part of the country. He said that the drug network chart of the district and the state must be made, so that we would get information about the spread of the problem and the focus of our fight. Shri Shah said that to convert the system into success, we have to connect our sensitivity with it. He said that there should be very good coordination between the central agencies, the coastal states and the local population to stop drug smuggling through the sea route.

Shri Amit Shah said that the fight against drugs is certainly difficult but we all have to resolve and move forward to achieve Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's goal of a drug-free India by 2047.

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