National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) set up a Working Group in July 2011 for “Substance Abuse and Drug Addiction among Children”. Based on the recommendation of the Working Group, a study was commissioned by NCPCR titled “Assessment of pattern, profile and correlates of substance use among children in India”, conducted through the National Dependent Treatment Centre (NDTC), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi  in the year 2012-13, covering 135 sites across 27 States/2 UTs with a sample size of 4024 substance using children.  The objective of the study was to collect information on pattern of substance use and profile of children using substances; and to collect information on family, peer, stress, psychological, physical health and legal aspects associated with substance use among children.  Some major findings of the study are as under:-

(i)         More than 50% children living on the streets reported bad or very bad relationship or no relationship with the family;

(ii)        Tobacco and alcohol were the most common substances used by children, followed by cannabis and inhalants, pharmaceutical opioids, sedatives, heroin and opium;

(iii)       The percentage of inhalant users (lifetime, last one year and last one month) was higher in the children living on the street than in children living at home;

(iv)       The lifetime and last one year use of opium was higher in the children living on the street than in children living at home.

 The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, namely, Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) from 2009-10 for children in difficult circumstances including children who are victims of substance abuse. Under ICPS, financial assistance is provided to State Governments/UT Administrations, inter-alia, for setting up and maintenance of various types of Homes, including, Shelter Homes, Open shelters etc. These Homes provide inter-alia, shelter, food, education, medical attention, vocational training, counseling, detoxification and treatment etc. to such children so that they can ultimately reintegrate into the mainstream society.

ICPS also provides Specialised Services for Children with Special Needs including children affected by substance abuse. These services cater to individual specific needs like substance abuse, behavioural problems and social deviant behaviours and require specialized institutional care and treatment including medical, nutritional, and psychological support. Each State/UT has to notify and designate at least one shelter home for care, detoxification and counseling of children affected by substance abuse. These Shelter Homes shall offer day and night shelter facilities to the children in need of support services for a temporary period, while efforts are made to rehabilitate them.

 Further, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment implements Central Sector Scheme of Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse under which financial assistance is provided to NGOs /Voluntary organizations for running Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts (IRCAs), organizing de-addiction camps and conducting awareness programmes about the ill effects of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse on the individual. Family, workplace and the society at large. The IRCAs (de-addiction centres) provides counselling, treatment, after care and rehabilitation of drug dependent persons including children.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has taken the following steps to create awareness in society about the ill-effects of alcoholism and drug abuse:-

(i)         International Day against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking is observed on 26th June each year. As part of this programme, rallies, paintings campaign, workshops, seminars etc are organized at the National as well as State level. On this occasion, National Awards for outstanding services in the field of Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse are conferred to the Individuals and Institutions to encourage them and recognize their efforts.

(ii)        The National Institute for Social Defence, an Autonomous Organization  under the  Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in collaboration with Regional Resource and Training Centres and other collaborating partners organizes sensitization programmes in Schools/Colleges and skill development programmes in the field of social defence including counselling and drug de-addiction.

(iii)       Information regarding ill-effects of alcoholism and drug abuse is also disseminated in regional languages through the All India Radio programme “Sanwarti Jayen Jeevan Ki Rahen” and also through advertisements in news papers.

(iv)       In the year 2011-12, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment had conducted
 an awareness generation programmes in some districts of Punjab and Manipur through Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), an Autonomous Organization under the Ministry of Youth Affairs. In October 2014, the Ministry has again assigned the task of awareness generation in Punjab to cover all districts to  NYKS.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi in reply to a starred question in the Lok Sabha today.

NB/NK/PB