MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI MALLIKARJUN KHARGE)
(a) to (e) A statement is laid on the table of the House.
Statement in reply to part (a) to (e) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question 298 by Shri K.C.
SINGH ‘BABA’ and Shri DEVJI M. PATEL for answer on 11.2.2014 on De-addiction Centres
(a) & (b) A study conducted during the year 2012-13 by National Commission for Protection
of Child Rights (NCPCR) under the Ministry of Women and Child Development in collaboration
with National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) of AIIMS titled “Assessment of pattern
and profile of Substance use among children in India†indicates that there is an increase in
the substance (drug) abuse among juveniles. This study sample comprised of about 4000 children
at 135 sites in cities/towns across 27 States/2 UTs. However, there is no data to conclusively
indicate the number of juveniles addicted to drugs in the country.
(c) The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment implements a “Central Sector Scheme
of Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse†which provides
financial assistance to eligible Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Panchayati Raj
Institutions, Urban Local Bodies, Public Trusts, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathans etc for
running Integrated Rehabilitation Centres of Addicts (IRCAs) to provide composite/integrated
services for the rehabilitation of addicts including the children.
The IRCAs provide the following services:-
(i) Preventive Education and Awareness Generation
(ii) Identification of addicts and motivational counseling to avail the services of IRCA
(iii) Detoxification and Whole Persons Recovery
(iv) After-care and Follow-up
(v) Care and support to families of the addicts and social re-integration of the addicts
On an average about 250 IRCAs are assisted each year by this Ministry.
(d) During the year 2013-14, a total of 144 new proposals have been received from various
State Governments/UTs for providing assistance under the Scheme to various De-addiction
Centres run by NGOs. As per the extant guidelines, all new proposals are scrutinized by
the Screening Committee in the Ministry and the proposals which are complete in all respects
are processed for release of grant-in-aid as per the norms of the scheme and availability of
funds.
(e) The steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Ministry to create awareness for preventing
Alcoholism and Drug abuse are as follows:
(i) The NGOs/Voluntary Organizations conduct programmes in the community to create awareness
and educate people about the ill effects of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse on the individual,
family, the work place and society at large.
(ii) The Ministry in collaboration with Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) conducted an
awareness generation programme in two states namely Punjab and Manipur during the year
2011-12 and 2012-13 through door-to-door campaign, candle march, poster campaigns and
street plays etc. This programme covered 3000 villages in 10 districts in the state of
Punjab and 750 villages in 7 districts in the state of Manipur.
(iii) Further, the Ministry in collaboration with National Bal Bhavan (NBB), an autonomous
organization under the Ministry of Human Resources Development had undertaken awareness
generation programmes about the ill effects of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse amongst the children
in the age group of 12 to 16 years through its network of 155 Bal Bhavans and 77 Bal Kendras
across the country by conducting series of activities like poster making, creative writing,
lectures, rallies etc. at local/zonal and national level during the last two years.
(iv) The Ministry organizes a function every year on 26th June, the International Day
against Drug Abuse. As part of this programme, rallies, paintings, work shops seminars
etc. are organized at National as well as State level. On this occasion, National Awards
for outstanding services in the field of Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse are conferred
to Individuals and Institutions in recognisation of their efforts.
