The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) had conducted a national survey on drug abuse in the country in the year 2000-2001. The Report was published in 2004 wherein it was estimated that about 732 lakh persons in India were users of alcohol and drugs. However the sample size being small (40,697 males only) vis-a-vis the country’s population, the estimates can at best be taken as indicative only. A considerable time has since passed, therefore, NSSO has been requested to carry out an advanced pilot survey in 3 States viz. Punjab, Maharashtra and Manipur to test the efficacy of the sampling design and survey instruments for a National Survey.

To tackle the problem of drug abuse, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing a Central Sector Scheme of Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse. The Ministry also collaborated with the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and the National Bal Bhavan (NBB), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, for awareness generation campaign about the ill effects of alcoholism and drug abuse. The NYKS through its network of volunteers has created awareness among the youths in 3750 villages of Punjab and Manipur through door to door campaign, wall writings, candle march, poster campaigns, street plays etc. The NBB has conducted a series of activities like poster making, creative writing, lecture, rally, nukkad natak etc at local, zonal and national level among the children of the age group of 12 to 16 years. Besides, the Ministry has undertaken the following activities for awareness generation :-

·                     On 26th June every year i.e. International Day against Illicit Trafficking and Drug Abuse, National Drug Awareness Day is observed in collaboration with other central Ministries/Departments and special campaign is undertaken to spread awareness. State Governments are also requested to observe this day in a befitting manner.

·                     The National Institute of Social Defence in collaboration with Regional Resource and training Centres (RRTCs) and other collaborating partners organizes sensitization programmes in Schools and Colleges.

Under the Ministry’s Central Sector Scheme of Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse, financial assistance is given to the implementation agencies viz. non-governmental organizations, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Urban Local Bodies, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangthan, etc. for running and maintenance of Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts (IRCAs) on the basis of the recommendation of the State level Grant-in-aid Committee along with satisfactory inspection report furnished by the concerned State Government.

Funds are not released to State Governments under the Scheme. However, State/ UT-wise notional allocation is made based on the number of ongoing projects, performance during previous years and the problem of substance (drugs) abuse in the States/UTs, and communicated to all the States/UTs with a request to send the proposals of the implementing agencies. Proposals received from the States/UTs Governments are examined as per the guidelines of the scheme and funds are released directly to the eligible organizations under intimation to the States/UTs Governments.

State/UT wise funds allocated, funds released and number of projects assisted, during the last three years and the current year is:

This information was given by the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri  P. Balram Naik  in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha tabled today.

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