Amit Shah Calls for Drug-Free India by 2047

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday called for a united national effort to achieve a drug-free India by 2047, urging all states to adopt a zero-tolerance approach against narcotics. Chairing a video conference from New Delhi with Chief Secretaries, senior police officials, the Narcotics Control Bureau, and other agencies, Shah stressed the need for coordinated action to dismantle drug trafficking networks.

He directed states to identify drug hotspots, monitor supply chains, arrest key traffickers, ensure speedy prosecution, and prepare a comprehensive roadmap to combat narcotics. Shah also emphasised the importance of community policing, public awareness campaigns, and the use of advanced technology to strengthen surveillance.

Participating from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary G. Sai Prasad said the state's Elite Anti-Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement (EAGLE) has become a strong enforcement mechanism and a national model in tackling drug-related crimes. He noted that Andhra Pradesh, once affected by cannabis cultivation along the Andhra-Odisha border, has significantly strengthened its anti-drug efforts.

Sai Prasad said large-scale anti-narcotics inspections are conducted three times a week across all districts with the support of local police, Government Railway Police, Railway Protection Force, EAGLE teams, and dog squads. He added that EAGLE's secure data centre at Mangalagiri serves as the state's central surveillance hub, improving coordination and intelligence-sharing to curb interstate drug trafficking.