Chandigarh, January 11: NDPS Courts : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday requested the intervention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He asked for financial assistance to the state government. The funds are needed for setting up a special NDPS Courts to check the drug menace.

CM Urges GOI for Financial Aid to Address NDPS Case Backlog

Participating through video conferencing in the regional conference on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security’, the Chief Minister urged GOI to give one time financial assistance, for 10 years to State to create Special NDPS Courts and recruitment of public prosecutors along with other supporting staff, of Rs 600 crores (@ Rs.60 Cr. Per year). He said that currently, there are 35,000 NDPS cases pending for Session trial as on January 01, 2025. He added that a Session Court takes, on average, seven years to complete the trial of a pending case. This does not include all newly added cases. Bhagwant Singh Mann stated that in the coming five years, the average disposal time will increase. The current time of seven years (35,000 pending cases) will rise to 11 years (55,000 pending cases).

“CM Calls for New NDPS Courts, Funding for Anti-Drug Initiatives in Punjab”

NDPS Courts : The Chief Minister said that the state needs to clear the pendency in the next five years. To achieve this, it must create 79 new exclusive NDPS Courts in Punjab. The state also needs to appoint 79 Public Prosecutors along with supporting staff for these NDPS Courts. He added that financial assistance is solicited for this purpose. He asked the Union Home Minister to ensure generous funding. This funding should come from the National Fund for Control of Drug Abuse (Chapter 7-A of NDPS Act). The Anti-Narcotics Task Force needs this funding. Six Bordering Districts require Live Monitoring Systems. The purchase of equipment for technical surveillance is also necessary. Moreover, it includes infrastructure and logistic requirements for 5G Jamming solutions for Prisons. In addition, funds are requested for establishing de-addiction centers in Jails. Furthermore, they seek to implement AI surveillance systems in Jail. The proposal also suggests establishing a Special Prison for drug traffickers. Additionally, authorities require assistance for launching anti-drug awareness campaigns across all 28 districts.

NDPS Courts : “Bhagwant Singh Mann Urges Approval of Rs. 2829 Crore for Law Enforcement

Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state had sought Rs. 2829 Crore through the 16th Finance Commission.Approve this at the earliest to ensure effective law enforcement. Upgrade the infrastructure and logistic support of ANTF and Prisons. The Chief Minister flagged another important issue. To control, reclaim, and rejuvenate drug hotspots in Punjab, the government proposed hiring counsellors and coordinators. These professionals are essential for conducting surveys and studies regarding the impact of CADA, amounting to Rs. 107 crores. Although the government submitted this proposal in 2022, nothing has been allotted to date. Therefore, the Chief Minister urged that the release of these funds should happen at the earliest. He further emphasized that the state had already faced a full-scaled insurgency in the late seventies and eighties. Now, it is engaged in a proxy war with Pakistan, a war aimed at thwarting drug trafficking orchestrated by Pakistan–supported actors.

NDPS Courts : CM Highlights Vulnerability of Punjab to Cross-Border Drug Trafficking”

Bhagwant Singh Mann said that 552 kms of International Border shared with Pakistan is porous. It is marked by a fencing gap of around 43 kms. There is also a riverine gap of 35 kms. This makes the state vulnerable to cross border drug trafficking. The Chief Minister said that the state’s location is along the notorious ‘Golden Cresent’ drug route. This position makes it a key transit point for narcotics. It also facilitates the movement of other contraband. He added that now drugs are consumed by the local population at an alarming level. He said that due to increased vigil and border fencing, drug trafficking now primarily occurs through drones. This method poses fewer chances of getting caught. As a result, it has become a national problem left for Punjab to tackle on its own. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the State has meager resources. It is fighting a herculean task to combat drug abuse.

“Punjab Chief Minister Announces Anti-Drug Initiatives

The Chief Minister said that Punjab Police has raised the Anti-Narcotics Task Force. This force has 861 officers and officials. They are trained to deal with drug trafficking. He said that further each District/Commissionerate of the state has established a Narcotic Cell to deal with the drug problem. The state Government has constituted a State Level ‘Punjab Narcotics Prevention Campaign Committee’. This committee works under the Chief Secretary, Punjab. District Mission Teams have been formed. They operate under the District Magistrates at the district level. Their role is to coordinate between all the stakeholders for curbing drug abuse. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Government has nominated a State level Nodal Officer for the ‘Anti-Drug Program’. The state has also commissioned an Anti-Drug Helpline ‘Safe Punjab’. It provides a platform for citizens to report any drug trafficking incident or to seek help for the treatment of drug addicts.

CM Highlights Success in Combating Drug Abuse with 31,500 NDPS Cases

The Chief Minister said that it is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction. The helpline received a total of 1905 complaints, and officials took action in 856 of them. They registered FIRs in 31 cases.He said that the state Government has adopted a policy of Enforcement-Deaddiction-Prevention (EDP) to fight this menace of drug abuse. Under this policy, authorities strictly implement drug laws, provide deaddiction services, and spread drug awareness to prevent the youth and citizens from falling into the drug trap. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that in the last two and a half years, the state government has registered around 31,500 cases under the NDPS Act, arrested 43,000 accused individuals, and seized 3,000 kg of heroin, 2,600 kg of opium, and 4.3 crore worth of pharmaceutical drugs.

CM Freezes Rs. 449 Crore Worth of Property from Drug Traffickers,

The Chief Minister announced that authorities have frozen illegally acquired property of drug traffickers worth Rs.449 Crore.This action is from the Competent Authority.The State has achieved a conviction rate of 82.5%, the highest in the country, through its training and capacity building. He said that the authorities have detained habitual offenders of drug trafficking under the PITNDPS Act. Additionally, the State has developed the ‘Punjab Artificial Intelligence System’ (PAIS 2.0), an advanced tool designed to help the Punjab Police track and analyze crimes. 4o miniBhagwant Singh Mann said that it has a database of 3,32,976 criminals. This includes more than 1 lakh drug offenders. The features include drug seizures data, voice analysis, and criminal link tracking to better handle cases related to narcotics.

CM Highlights PAIS 2.0 and Efforts in Combating Drug Abuse

The Chief Minister said that with over 18 million searches conducted and 30,804 active users, PAIS provides real-time insights. It helps officers make quick decisions and allocate resources effectively. He added that it is a powerful tool in the fight against drug-related crimes. He stated that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal office at Chandigarh now has access to PAIS 2. The Amritsar Regional Office also has access to PAIS 2.0. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that medicines are provided free of cost for the deaddiction of drug addicts. The addicts receive these in 529 Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) clinics. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the authorities have also established 17 OOAT clinics in the jails. The state government has set up 213 Private as well as Government Deaddiction Centers. They have also established 90 Rehabilitation Centers for treatment of drug addicts.

Bhagwant Singh Mann Highlights Drug Deaddiction Efforts

The Chief Minister announced that these Deaddiction and Rehabilitation Centers admitted 97,413 addicts. Additionally, around 10 lakh patients have undergone treatment in these centers during 2022-2024. He said that the Government has launched the Buddy Program. This initiative aims to prevent the youth from falling into the trap of drug abuse. It implements across all private and government schools, colleges, and universities.This program aims to prevent drug abuse among the younger generation, particularly students. It provides knowledge, imparts behavioral skills, and develops a system for self/group monitoring and support. Bhagwant Singh Mann stated that the program has enrolled around 29,000 students. He also mentioned that the State has constituted 19,523 Village Defense Committees.

CM Highlights Punjab’s Drug Problem and Its Impact on Crime

The Chief Minister said that the drug problem in Punjab is impacting the socio-economic balance. It is leading to a significant increase in crime, domestic violence, and health issues. These issues affect not only the State but the Country as a whole. He said that the Narco-Terror drug trade business in Punjab has international connections. These cartels smuggle drugs from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other countries into the State. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that drug trade in Punjab funds terrorist activities in the State. This leads to destabilizing National Security.

“CM Calls for National Response to Combat Drug Problem, Strengthen BSF”

The Chief Minister advocated for a national response to tackle the drug problem. He said it is necessary to check this problem. Drug abuse can imbalance the socio-economic structure of society. He said that increased central funding must support anti-drug initiatives. Generous funding is also necessary for rehabilitation services, awareness campaigns, and law enforcement efforts. Bhagwant Singh Mann instructed authorities to strengthen the Border Security Force (BSF), which is deployed on the Pakistan border in Punjab.

CM Highlights Need for 50 More Jamming Systems to Combat Drone Threats and Drug Smuggling”

The Chief Minister raised another issue. He stated that in the last five years, authorities have reported 1247 drone sightings. They also recovered 417 drones. This is a minuscule of the total recovery. At present, there are only 12 jamming systems operational on 552 kms of International Border. He said that these cater to only 1/5 of the entire border stretch. The remaining 4/5 of the entire border is without a jamming system. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that authorities have recovered a huge cache of drugs and arms so far. He added that this recovery can be far more significant. To achieve this increased recovery, we need at least 50 more advanced technology Jamming Systems.