Himachal govt sanctions Rs 5.34 crore for 100-bed de-addiction centre in Sirmaur

Shimla, Sep 29 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh government has sanctioned Rs 5.34 crore for the construction of a 100-bedded state-of-the-art spacious de-addiction centre in the Sirmaur district, a statement said on Monday.

The spokesperson of the state government said that the government has adopted a comprehensive two-pronged strategy to curb drug abuse and reintegrate drug-affected youth into the mainstream.

In addition, five new drug de-addiction centres are being established in Mandi, Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, Solan and Sirmaur districts.

The strategy focuses both on preventing substance abuse among youth and on rehabilitating those already addicted. For counselling and early intervention, 108 new 'Disha' centres have been set up in health institutions across the state where ASHA workers, doctors and psychiatrists are being specially trained, the statement added.

Currently, four de-addiction and rehabilitation centres for men are operational in Kullu, Una, Hamirpur and Kangra, while a separate centre for women is being run by the Red Cross Society in District Kullu, he said.

For long-term preparedness, the government is working in collaboration with NITI Aayog, PGI and the Health Department to frame a State Action Plan for drug prevention and rehabilitation.

As part of mass awareness efforts, more than 5.76 lakh people have been sensitised about the ill effects of drug abuse under the National Drug Prevention Campaign covering 5,660 villages and 4,332 educational institutions, with a focus on adolescents, youth, women and the general public.

The government has also passed the Himachal Pradesh Organised Crime (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2025, which provides for stringent punishments, including the death penalty, life imprisonment, fines up to Rs 10 lakh, and confiscation of illegally acquired property for those involved in drug smuggling, he added.

The Himachal Pradesh Drugs and Controlled Substances (Prevention, De-addiction and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2025, establishes a State Fund to support de-addiction, rehabilitation, preventive education and livelihood initiatives, while also prescribing strict penalties for those engaged in the illegal drug trade.

To curb illicit manufacturing of narcotics, the government is constituting a special monitoring committee led by the Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) and officers from the Excise, Police and Health Departments to oversee codal formalities and regulate pharmaceutical companies holding narcotic drug licences. PTI BPL HIG HIG