Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar chaired the fifth meeting of the National Consultative Committee on De-addiction and Rehabilitation (NCCDR) in New Delhi on Sunday, calling for stronger, coordinated action to tackle drug demand and expand rehabilitation services across the country.
Held at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, the meeting brought together senior officials from the Centre, representatives from States and Union Territories, academics, NGOs and other stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for drug demand reduction and rehabilitation.
During the meeting, officials reviewed progress under key initiatives such as the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) and the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, while also discussing the roadmap for NAPDDR 2.0 and a proposed Strategic Action Plan for 2026–29.
Addressing participants, Kumar urged members to actively contribute ideas and feedback, stressing that drug abuse remains a critical national challenge requiring sustained and collaborative efforts.
Key discussions focused on strengthening preventive measures, particularly among children and youth, with an emphasis on engaging students in higher educational institutions for awareness campaigns. The need to expand de-addiction and rehabilitation infrastructure was also highlighted, including the establishment of dedicated centres for women and children and adherence to standardized operating procedures.
Participants further stressed the importance of mapping existing facilities across ministries and improving coordination to ensure efficient service delivery. The meeting also called for a robust monitoring framework to track the effectiveness of drug demand reduction programmes.
Another major focus was scaling up the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan to widen its outreach and impact nationwide. Members also discussed enhancing synergy between various platforms, including coordination with mechanisms addressing drug supply, to ensure a comprehensive approach at both state and district levels.
The meeting concluded with a collective commitment to intensify efforts against drug abuse through a multi-stakeholder approach involving governments, institutions and civil society, aiming to build a more effective and inclusive rehabilitation ecosystem in the country.
