Question : ILLEGAL CULTIVATION OF NARCOTIC CROPS

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS(SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN)

(a) & (b) : According to the information from Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN), the area licensed and harvested for licit opium poppy cultivation during the last four years is as under:-

Year	Area licensed	Area harvested	(in hectares)	(in hectares)
2005-06	7252	6976
2006-07	6269	5913
2007-08	4680	2653
2008-09	11020	8853

The cultivation of illicit opium and cannabis has been reported in some of the States like Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Manipur.The details of destruction of illicit poppy and cannabis during the last three years are as under:-

Year	Areas destroyed	(in Acres)
2007	20,708
2008	1,967
2009	17304

(c) & (d): The reports received and seizures made do not indicate the involvement of international smugglers and terrorists outfits in growing in the border areas.

(e): Steps taken in general to check, detect and prevent illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs include strict surveillance and enforcement at import and export points; improved coordination between the various drug law enforcement agencies; strengthening of intelligence apparatus; signing of conventions, bilateral agreements, MoUs and Mutual Assistance Treaties with foreign countries against illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances; conducting training programmes for law enforcement officials etc.