Union minister says India will pursue a drug-free future as part of development plan
Amit Shah announced that the government has drafted a national roadmap to eradicate narcotics, linking a drug-free society to the vision of a developed India by 2047.
Speaking at a press briefing, Amit Shah said the administration is treating the fight against drugs as a security priority and will implement a comprehensive plan nationwide. He contrasted the new approach with pre-2014 efforts, which he described as fragmented and limited to small-scale operations. Shah also linked the drug-free goal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s broader objective of achieving a "Viksit Bharat" by 2047, citing the eradication of Naxalism as a precedent for tackling major internal threats.
Why it matters
The plan signals a major policy shift that could reshape law-enforcement priorities and public health initiatives across India.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage stresses the ambitious zero-grams target and detailed technical mechanisms, while centrist coverage frames the plan as a national security priority linked to broader development goals and past successes against Naxalism.
LEFT
Highlights a zero-tolerance goal and a comprehensive, data-driven framework to eradicate narcotics.
CENTER
Positions the drug-free initiative as a security priority within the wider development agenda, referencing past eradication of internal threats.
The left emphasises
- zero grams of narcotics
- four-level NCORD framework linking central and state agencies
- nationwide rehabilitation helpline and NIDAN offender database
In this story
