Jammu & Kashmir unveils three-year program to rehabilitate drug addicts

Chief secretary Atal Dulloo introduced a three-year rehabilitation framework aimed at drug addicts receiving care in government-run or aided de-addiction centres. The pilot will cover Jammu, Srinagar, Kathua and Budgam before rolling out to additional districts. Phase I (first six months) focuses on intake, assessment and detoxification, Phase II (six to twenty-four months) on reintegration and livelihood activation, and Phase III (twenty-four to thirty-six months) on sustained monitoring and social inclusion.

The Home Department will handle tracing and support, while Health and Medical Education will provide mental-health services and relapse-prevention care. Education, Labour and Employment, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, and Social Welfare departments will each contribute to schooling, skill development, community engagement and overall implementation. The program builds on the “Nasha Mukt Abhiyaan” anti-drug drive launched earlier by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.