The 5th Meeting of the National Consultative Committee on De-addiction and Rehabilitation (NCCDR) was held today at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, under the chairmanship of Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment.

The meeting was attended by Shri B.L. Verma, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Sudhansh Pant, Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJ&E), Smt. Pratima Gupta, Deputy Director General, DoSJ&E, Senior officers of the Ministry, Ex-Officio Members from various line Ministries/Departments, representatives from States and Union Territories, Non-Official Members including Vice Chancellors of Central Universities, representatives from NGOs and different stakeholders on the subject.

Deputy Director General Smt. Pratima Gupta presented the key agenda items, highlighting the achievements under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR), Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA), the key features of NAPDDR 2.0, and the proposed Strategic Action Plan for 2026-29.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Virendra Kumar urged all members of the National Consultative Committee to actively and regularly share their views, suggestions, and feedback on this critical national issue of drug demand reduction.

The meeting witnessed detailed discussions on several important issues, including:

1. Strengthening Preventive Efforts: Emphasis was placed on intensifying preventive activities, particularly targeting children and youth, and actively engaging students in higher education institutions for drug awareness and prevention.

2. Expansion of De-addiction and Rehabilitation Services: The need to significantly scale up dedicated de-addiction and rehabilitation facilities across the country, with special focus on setting up centres exclusively for women and children, and ensuring all services follow standardized Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

3. Mapping and Integration of Facilities: Comprehensive mapping of existing de-addiction and rehabilitation facilities available under different Ministries and Departments, along with greater collaboration and integration.

4. Robust Monitoring Framework: Establishment of a strong and effective monitoring mechanism for all drug demand reduction activities, as well as for treatment and rehabilitation services.

5. Scaling up Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan(NMBA): Further expansion and intensification of NMBA activities across the nation to create wider awareness and impact.

6. Synergy between Key Platforms: It was discussed that meetings of the Nasha MuktBharat Abhiyan Committee and NCORD (Narcotics Coordination Mechanism) should be held in tandem to holistically address both supply reduction and demand reduction issues at the state and district levels.

The meeting concluded with a collective resolve to strengthen the fight against the drug menace through coordinated, multi-stakeholder efforts involving the Central Government, States/UTs, educational institutions, and civil society.

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