New Delhi [India], July 17 : As in a single day records more than 1.40 lakh kg of narcotics were destroyed in different parts of the country, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday appealed to the law enforcement agencies of different states and Union Territories (UTs) for "constant vigilance" for the elimination of drugs.
Shah made the appeal while addressing the Regional Conference on 'Drug Trafficking and National Security' organized here in the national capital.
In the presence of the Union Home Minister, more than 1.40 lakh kg of narcotics worth Rs 2,378 crore were destroyed in different parts of the country by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in coordination with the Anti Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of all states, which is a record for a single day.
Shah said that in a country like India, drug trafficking and their usage not only ruin future generations but also affect national security.
"The Ministry of Home Affairs is continuously running a campaign against drugs through the meetings of Regional Conferences and these meetings are being held to review them and make timely changes in our policies based on the feedback," said the Minister.
Shah mentioned that the government under the leadership of PM Modi established the Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) in 2019, which holds meetings at four different levels.
Pointing that district-level NCORD meetings have proven to be the most effective, Shah emphasized that states should "collaborate" with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on financial investigations and refer the cases to ED.
"Until we conduct financial investigations of drug traffickers and break their interest chain, our campaign will not be successful," said the Minister.
"There is a need for constant vigilance for the elimination of drugs. I appeal to all to lay emphasis on the continuity of NCORD meetings to be held in the state and Union Territories for better coordination," added the Minister.
He asserted that our approach should be such that those who consume drugs should be considered victims, while those who engage in the trade should be marked as culprits.
Shah also said that those who use drugs are victims, and our systems should make efforts to bring them back to the right path rather than leaving them to become permanent addicts.
Reminding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's target for Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav that India and its youth should become drug-free by the time the centenary of the country's independence is celebrated, Shah said "It is necessary for the states and the Centre both to work together to achieve the goal".
"It is the aim of the Modi Government to create such an India where not even a single youth is addicted to drugs," said Shah, adding "If we disseminate more information related to drug awareness, to District Administration, schools and NGOs, the fight against drugs will be strengthened even more."
The Minister said that "it is not just a fight to crack down on drugs or achieve complete victory, but the biggest victory in this fight is to create awareness."
Shah said that we cannot win this fight until we create awareness against drugs in the minds of the youth and parents of the country.
The Minister said that today a total of more than 1,40,288 kg of drugs have been destroyed and all the states, especially the NCB, deserve accolades for this.
He said that under this campaign drugs worth Rs 2,378 crore have been destroyed today, which is a record for the highest quantity of drugs destroyed in a single day.
Shah said that under the leadership of PM, 10 lakh kilograms of narcotics worth more than Rs 12,000 crore have been destroyed in the last year of Amrit Mahotsav and this is also a record in itself.
According to the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, we have to move ahead with equal attention on "Drug Detection, Destruction of the network, Detention of Culprits and Rehabilitation of addicts" for the complete prevention of drug abuse.
"We have done a great job in the areas of Detection, Destruction and Detention, but our fight will not be successful unless we focus on Rehabilitation," said Shah, adding "With 'Whole of Government' approach, Health, Social Welfare Department, Chemical and Drug Department, Education Department, Panchayati Raj Department and State Home Departments will have to come together and work on a single platform, only then the dream of a drug-free India can be realized and we will be able to realise this."
He said that for this, "along with Cooperation, Coordination and Collaboration, all the departments will have to move forward with 'Whole of Government' approach."
The drugs destroyed include 6,590 kilograms by NCB’s Hyderabad unit, 822 kilograms by Indore and 356 kilograms by Jammu.
Along with this, various law enforcement agencies of different states also destroyed a total of 1,44,122 kilograms of drugs, including 1,486-kilogram drugs in Assam, 229 kilograms in Chandigarh, 25 kilograms in Goa, 4,277 kilograms in Gujarat, 2,458 kilograms in Haryana, 4,069 kilograms in Jammu and Kashmir, 1,03,884 kilogram in Madhya Pradesh, 159 kilograms in Maharashtra, 1,803 kilograms in Tripura and 4,049 kilograms in Uttar Pradesh.
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