MLAs express concern over rising drug addiction in J&K, Speaker Rather orders discussion

Jammu: Cutting across party lines, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly members on Wednesday expressed grave concern over the rising drug addiction in the region, prompting Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to order a discussion to seek suggestions from the House on anti-drug measures.

Several MLAs questioned the effectiveness of existing mechanisms to combat the drug menace. They called for the establishment of an expert panel and a House committee to examine the issue in depth.

Minister for Health Sakina Itoo acknowledged the severity of the problem but highlighted the impact of the 'Nasha Mukt Abhiyan' launched in September 2022.

"There has been an alarming increase in drug addiction among the youth of J&K. However, after the launch of 'Nasha Mukt Abhiyan', records indicate a slight decline in new registrations," Itoo said in the House while responding to a question by National Conference (NC) MLA Mubarak Gul during the Question Hour.

She informed the House that 25,402 drug addicts have been receiving treatment at various centers in Jammu and Kashmir over the past three years. This includes 9,775 in 2022, 8,702 in 2023 and 6,925 in 2024.

The minister said while outpatient (OPD) drug addiction cases have shown a declining trend over the past three years, inpatient (IPD) cases have significantly increased. She attributed this rise to the expansion of inpatient services in de-addiction centers, leading to better access to care.

CPI (M) MLA M Y Tarigami, Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat, AAP MLA Mehraj Malik, BJP MLAs Arvind Gupta and Yudhvir Sethi, and NC MLA Justice Hasnain Masoodi raised supplementary questions, demanding answers on the alleged failure of agencies tackling the crisis.

"It is a very important issue. Over the last several years, drug addiction has drastically increased. Who ruled this region for the past ten years? They must answer for this rise. What measures have they taken to address it?" asked Tarigami.

Calling for a review of the current mechanisms, he urged the formation of an expert team and a House committee to assess and respond to the crisis effectively.

BJP MLAs Yudhvir Sethi and Arvind Gupta also sought details from the government on its efforts to combat drug addiction and called for a full discussion on the matter.

AAP MLA Mehraj Malik criticized the administration for its "utter failure" in handling the menace and said "there has been a large-scale increase in drug addiction in the region and the government has completely failed to address it".

Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat supported the demand for a House committee, while NC’s Justice Hasnain Masoodi called for enhanced infrastructure to strengthen the de-addiction framework.

Despite the minister’s initial opposition to further discussion citing her detailed response, Speaker Rather insisted on a half-hour debate to allow members to present their suggestions.

The minister outlined various initiatives taken to curb drug addiction, including adoption of a drug de-addiction policy, formation of a state-level policy, Implementation Committee and massive awareness campaign -- Nasha Mukt J&K Abhiyan.

She informed the House that 11 Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) are functional in Kashmir and 9 in Jammu.

"OPD services are operational in all 20 districts, while inpatient services are available in all nine Government Medical Colleges (GMCs), catering to both male and female patients. Psychiatrists are available in all GMCs in J&K," she said.

She said that 25 medical officers (12 from Jammu and 13 from Kashmir) have been trained at NIMHANS, Bengaluru, and deployed to de-addiction centers across the UT.

To enhance monitoring and intervention, real-time surveillance using Google Sheets has been introduced to track trends and measure the effectiveness of interventions, she added.

The minister highlighted the ongoing awareness efforts, including seminars, workshops and programs in schools, colleges and universities, in collaboration with district administrations, NGOs and volunteers.

She also emphasized the TeleMANAS initiative, a helpline set up across all 20 districts to provide mental health support and addiction counseling.

Under 'Project Najaath', launched in November 2023 in Jammu and Pulwama, the government has partnered with J&K Bank to combat drug abuse. The initiative aims to educate communities on the dangers of drug addiction and promote prevention, treatment and support services.

She said the government’s proactive approach, including policy reforms, treatment facilities, real-time monitoring and community engagement, aims to tackle the drug menace effectively.