Govt earmarks Rs 50 cr to combat drug trafficking, setting up of rehabilitation centres
Shillong, Aug 28: Meghalaya currently has around 3 lakh drug addicts according to the latest survey, said Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Tuesday during his reply to a question in the Assembly.
Lyngdoh said the state government has earmarked Rs 50 crore to combat the trafficking of drugs and setting up of more rehabilitation centres in the state.
“Since the launch of the Drug Reduction, Elimination and Action Mission (DREAM), the state government has earmarked Rs 50 crore to combat the menace of drug trafficking,” he said.
The state government has also moved for the creation of more deaddiction centres throughout the state under the DREAM project and except for East Khasi Hills district, the rest of the districts have been identified for setting up of deaddiction centres, he added.
VPP legislator from Nongkrem, Ardent Basaiawmoit expressed concern over the issue of drug menace becoming a nightmare for the state and asking the government to take steps to seek more funds from the Centre, Lyngdoh said, “Personally I have already managed to establish contacts with the Ministry in Delhi and would be calling on the Minister incharge as soon as the session is over.”
When Basaiawmoit questioned the government’s claim to have achieved 20 per cent success in tackling drug menace, Lyngdoh said it was based on comprehensive collection of data and statistics sourced from both government and private. “It is not a tall claim of the government because it is based on statistics, surveys and research that have been done,” he added.
Earlier, Lyngdoh has informed that there are 10 rehabilitation centres in the state.
Of these, six centres are supported by the state government by the Social Welfare department through public private partnership with the expert NGOs. One is centrally-aided by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment while three others are privately managed centers.
He said that there are five rehabilitation centers in East Khasi Hills district of which three are aided by the central government while one is managed privately.
