Shah calls drugs national security threat as NDPS debate rages | India News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday described drug abuse as a threat to national security, and called for stronger coordination among agencies and effective steps including better regulation of dual-use prescription drugs and precursor chemicals, modification of the school curriculum to include chapters on the harmful effects of consumption and the use of the Dark Net and crypto currency by drug dealers.
Addressing the 3rd meeting of the Apex Level Committee of Narco-Coordination Center (NCORD) here, Shah outlined what he called Modi government’s zero tolerance approach towards drug abuse, emphasising that better coordination alone could help fight the “borderless crime”.
“Modi government considers drug abuse a major threat to national security which can only be dealt with through overall coordination,” an official release quoted Shah telling the participants.
The meeting happened in the backdrop of growing number of drug hauls and amid apprehension that narco-terror syndicates could take advantage of the changed political situation in Afghanistan, one of the biggest producers of opium, to push their illegal wares into India.
The decisions assume importance also because of the debate on relaxing the provisions of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act to decriminalise personal consumption.
Shah said that besides the agencies, the Centre and the states should have effective partnership to control the problem which has grown in dimension as reflected in the growing volume — from 16 lakh kgs in 2011-2014 to 35 lakh kgs in 2018 -2021.
The meeting decided to form standing inter-ministerial panels to check the misuse of double-use precursor chemicals and double-use prescription drugs, provision of container-scammers and other equipment for scanning containers, both incoming and outgoing as well as government and private, and formation of a narco-canine pool in coordination with the National Security Guards with a view to provide sniffer dogs to states.
Addressing the 3rd meeting of the Apex Level Committee of Narco-Coordination Center (NCORD) here, Shah outlined what he called Modi government’s zero tolerance approach towards drug abuse, emphasising that better coordination alone could help fight the “borderless crime”.
“Modi government considers drug abuse a major threat to national security which can only be dealt with through overall coordination,” an official release quoted Shah telling the participants.
The meeting happened in the backdrop of growing number of drug hauls and amid apprehension that narco-terror syndicates could take advantage of the changed political situation in Afghanistan, one of the biggest producers of opium, to push their illegal wares into India.
The decisions assume importance also because of the debate on relaxing the provisions of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act to decriminalise personal consumption.
Shah said that besides the agencies, the Centre and the states should have effective partnership to control the problem which has grown in dimension as reflected in the growing volume — from 16 lakh kgs in 2011-2014 to 35 lakh kgs in 2018 -2021.
The meeting decided to form standing inter-ministerial panels to check the misuse of double-use precursor chemicals and double-use prescription drugs, provision of container-scammers and other equipment for scanning containers, both incoming and outgoing as well as government and private, and formation of a narco-canine pool in coordination with the National Security Guards with a view to provide sniffer dogs to states.
