Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the Centre is committed to eliminating the drug menace from the country by 2029, drawing a parallel with the government’s campaign against Naxalism. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes a drug-free youth force will lead India towards the goal of a “developed India” by 2047.
Shah was speaking to reporters after attending a drug-prevention review meeting in Panaji, Goa, chaired by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Senior officials from the Union and state home departments were present at the meeting.
He alleged that during the previous Congress-led government at the Centre, action against narcotics was limited and largely focused on small offenders, without dismantling the wider network. Shah said that after 2014, the issue was treated as a national security priority and stricter measures were initiated.
According to him, a four-tier national coordination mechanism to curb drug trafficking was set up in 2019 across administrative, state and district levels. He said special anti-narcotics task forces have been formed in all states and Union Territories, linking local police with the national strategy.
Shah said the government’s approach includes political will, coordinated enforcement, prevention of drug use and rehabilitation for affected persons, under the “Drug-Free India 2029” goal. He added that a three-year roadmap rests on intelligence-led action, curbing synthetic drugs, demand and harm reduction, and strengthening capacity and coordination.
