Amit Shah announces three-year nationwide campaign against drugs from March 31
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, January 9, 2026, announced a crackdown on narcotics from March 31 in a three-year nationwide campaign to eliminate the drug menace in the country.
Addressing the 9th Apex level meeting of the Center for Narco-Coordination (NCORD), Mr. Shah said that the working methodology for all pillars against drug abuse will be defined, targets will be set and time-bound investigations will be conducted as part of the collective campaign.
According to the date announced by the Home Minister, the anti-drug campaign will be launched immediately after the deadline set for the elimination of Naxalism ends on March 31.
Mr. Shah also virtually inaugurated a Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) office in Amritsar on the occasion.
According to a government statement, the meeting organized by NCB in hybrid mode was attended by key stakeholders from Central ministries and departments, representatives from State governments and representatives from drug law enforcement agencies.
Mr. Shah instructed all departments to prepare a road map by March 31 to address the drug problem, establish a monitoring mechanism and focus fully on the issue so that a comprehensive solution can be found.
“We must fight against drugs on all fronts across the country in the next three years, make India ‘drug-free’ and make every effort to protect the country’s youth from drugs,” Mr. Shah said.
“Only constant awareness can keep us safe,” said Shah, adding that the government wants to create a permanent system that can carry out this fight against drugs.
The Home Secretary said the government’s policy was clear that no mercy should be shown to those who produce or sell drugs.
“We must proceed with a humane approach towards drug victims,” he said.
He said that all units of the central government in the fight against drugs should prepare a road map by 2029 and establish a time-bound review mechanism for its implementation.
Mr. Shah also appealed to all DGPs to prepare a road map for their States and take concrete steps for timely destruction of drugs.
Home Minister said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set the target of making India number one in the world in every field by 2047, when the centenary of Independence is celebrated. To create such an India, it is the responsibility of all of us to ensure complete protection of the young generation from drugs.”
He also said that the problem is linked to the issue of narco-terrorism rather than law and order and most importantly, there is a conspiracy to ruin the future generations of the country.
Young people’s health, their ability to think and perform, and growing discontent in society are all linked to this problem, he said.
There have been significant achievements in the fight against drugs in the last 11 years under Prime Minister Modi, and after the reorganization of NCORD in 2019, Mr. Shah said, “we have also secured the path to complete control over this problem.”
“We have now gained momentum and we will continue our way with a three-legged action plan,” he said.
He said the goal of a drug-free India will be achieved only by a “collective ruthless approach” to the drug supply chain, a strategic approach to demand reduction and a humane approach to harm reduction.
“We must continue this fight only by strengthening command, cohesion and accountability,” the Interior Minister said.
He added that instead of the number of meetings, their results should be reviewed and strict measures should be taken against the ringleaders, financiers and logistics routes of the drug trade, which are the subject of such evaluations.
The minister also said that the use of forensic science laboratories (FSL), increasing the rate at which charges are filed in a timely manner and securing convictions should also be among the goals.
He said top-down and bottom-up approach is extremely important to investigate the entire drug network.
Mr. Shah said that from 2004 to 2013, 26 lakh kg of drugs worth Rs 40,000 crore were seized, while from 2014 to 2025, 1.11 lakh kg of drugs worth Rs 1.71 lakh crore were seized, marking an 11-fold increase.
He added that the opium crop on 10,770 decares of land was destroyed in 2020, and as of November 2025, the crop on 40,000 decares of land was destroyed.
“The NCORD mechanism has a four-tier structure comprising a top-level NCORD committee headed by the Union home minister; an executive-level NCORD committee headed by the special secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs; state-level NCORD committees headed by principal secretaries and district-level NCORD committees headed by district magistrates,” the statement said.
It was stated that the mechanism was established in 2016 with the aim of improving coordination between the states, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and relevant stakeholders in addressing the problem of drug menace holistically.
It was published – 10 January 2026 08:47 IST
