Govt sets up panel on drug de-addiction

New Delhi, Jul 15 (UNI) The Government has decided to set up a National Consultative Committee on De-addiction and Rehabilitation (NCCDR) to advise the Central and state Governments on issues connected with drug demand reduction, especially education/awareness building, de-addiction and rehabilitation.

Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Meira Kumar would be Chairperson and Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan the Vice Chairperson of the Committee.

The NCCDR would also have other ex-officio members, Representatives of the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations, Drug Abuse Prevention/Social Work/Social Education/Media.

The Ministry of Social Justice&Empowerment has been implementing the Scheme of Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse for identification, counseling, treatment and rehabilitation of addicts through voluntary organizations.

The Ministry has been extending financial assistance to over 350 Non-Governmental Organizations for running 41 Counselling centres and 401 De-addiction Centres in the country. It also takes up regular awareness generation programmes to tackle the issue of alcoholism and drug abuse in the country.

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