Amit Shah to Lead Major Anti-Drug Meeting and Launch Helpline in New Delhi

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the 7th apex level meeting of the Narco-Coordination Center (NCORD) on July 18 in New Delhi. The Home Minister will also launch the National Narcotics Helpline ‘MANAS’ (Madak Padarth Nisedh Asuchna Kendra), inaugurate the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Office in Srinagar, and release the NCB ‘Annual Report 2023’ and Compendium on ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’.

The NCORD meeting aims to coordinate and synergize the efforts of various central and state government agencies involved in countering drug trafficking and abuse in India. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central government has adopted a ‘Zero Tolerance Policy’ against drug trafficking to curb the menace of drugs.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) aims to achieve PM Modi’s goal of a drug-free India by 2047 through a three-point strategy: strengthening institutional structures, coordinating among all narco agencies, and extensive public awareness campaigns.

As part of this strategy, several steps have been taken, including organizing regular NCORD meetings, launching a centralized NCORD portal, forming a Joint Coordination Committee, establishing Anti-Narcotics Task Forces in each state and Union Territory, prioritizing drug disposal drives, launching the NIDAAN portal for narco offenders, creating canine squads for drug detection, strengthening forensic capabilities, and establishing Special NDPS Courts and Fast Track Courts.

The NCORD mechanism, formed in 2016 for better coordination between states and the MHA, was further strengthened through a four-tier system in 2019. It includes an apex level NCORD committee headed by the Union Home Secretary, an Executive Level NCORD Committee headed by a Special Secretary (MHA), state level NCORD Committees headed by chief secretaries, and district level NCORD committees headed by district magistrates.