Form dedicated anti-narcotics task force, Amit Shah directs states

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, December 27

Stressing the need to eradicate drugs from the country with an aim of “Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan”, Union Home Minister Amit Shah today asked all states to form and notify a dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) in their respective jurisdictions.

Shah said this while presiding over the third apex-level Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) meeting organised by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) here in the hybrid mode.

According to an official statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the meeting lasted for over two hours and it was attended by Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, IB Director Arvind Kumar, NCB chief SN Pradhan, Director Generals of Border Security Force and Sashastra Seema Bal, Chief Secretaries and DGPs of states and their representatives and administrators in the UTs along with various departments concerned.

Shah reviewed the prevailing drug trafficking in the country. He stressed the need for close coordination between states and Central Government agencies.

He said: “All states should form and notify a dedicated ANTF which can also function as NCORD secretariat at the state level.” To strengthen the existing mechanism and spread more awareness, he directed to take some important measures such as creation of a national NCORD portal, constitution of inter-ministerial standing committees to devise effective policies with regard to dual-use prescription drugs and precursors, raising of national narco canine pool and establishment of drug de-addiction centres in all prisons of 272 most-affected districts.