The Uttar Pradesh Government has issued an order to establish 30-bed drug de-addiction facilities in Lucknow and Gorakhpur under the umbrella initiative of the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction Scheme. Other state districts have been directed to establish a 10-bed facility, providing similar service at all government-run institutes. The state government has undertaken the task to provide free treatment and promote drug abuse results through rehabilitation centres.
UP’s action against substance abuse
Uttar Pradesh has decided to constitute drug de-addiction centres across all districts to fight the vice of substance abuse. Besides the usual rehab cells in the government hospitals, the start has made provisions to establish designated centres in state capital Lucknow and Gorakhpur, soon. Patients struggling with drug addiction will be provided with free treatment, educational awareness, identification and counselling here, read reports.
An amount of more than Rs 6 crore has been provisioned for this scheme by the Government of India for the financial year 2020-21. After the construction of new de-addiction centres in Lucknow and Gorakhpur, the drug eradication programmes will gain momentum. As of now, about 23 de-addiction centres operating on Central funding are functional in the state. These too, are providing treatment at zero cost to addicts. Until November 2020, these state rehab centres have been able to successfully treat a tally of 1,800 people and connect them to the mainstream society.
State’s initiatives to raise awareness against drug addiction
Uttar Pradesh has launched wide-scale awareness programmes to appraise people about the evils of drug abuse. These include informative and interactive activities such as documentaries, sports competitions, rallies, seminars. Exhibitions are also being organised in the state by the prohibition department for the eradication of intoxication. Targetted at students and young people, these programmes aim to motivate practices of de-addiction by education and awareness.
Over 300 sports competitions, 88 documentaries, 112 exhibitions, and 571 seminars have already been organised by the Prohibition Department and more than 1,000 students have been enrolled to participate in educational and sports competitions.
