Meghalaya drug users surge to 3 lakh, focus on more de-addiction centers

The number of drug users in Meghalaya has risen from 2 lakh to 3 lakh despite the state government's allocation of Rs 50 crore to tackle drug trafficking and to establish additional rehabilitation centers across the state.

Speaking during the Assembly session, Meghalaya Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh said that there would be roughly 3 lakh drug addicts in the state as per the latest survey.

He said, “Since the launch of the Drug Reduction, Elimination and Action Mission (DREAM), the state government has earmarked Rs 50 crore to combat the menace of drug trafficking."

Furthermore, he informed that the state government has also moved for the creation of more de-addiction centers throughout the state, under the DREAM initiative.

“As of today, except for East Khasi Hills district, the rest of the districts have been identified for setting up deaddiction centres,” he added.

Speaking on claims that Meghalaya is receiving lesser funding from the Centre to combat drug menace, Lyngdoh said, “Personally, I have already managed to establish contacts with the Ministry in Delhi and would be calling on the Minister in-charge as soon as the session is over.”

Meanwhile, VPP legislator Ardent Basaiawmoit also expressed concern over the issue of drug menace becoming a nightmare for the state and urged the government to take steps to seek more fund from the Centre to tackle the problem.

Earlier, Lyngdoh informed that there are 10 rehabilitation centres in the state. Of these, six centres are supported by the state government by the Social Welfare department through public private partnership with the expert NGOs, while one is centrally aided by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and three others are privately managed centres.