J&K launches 3-year rehab scheme for drug addicts

SRINAGAR: J&K chief secretary Atal Dulloo Wednesday rolled out a three-year scheme to rehabilitate drug addicts under treatment at govt-run or aided de-addiction centres and institutions, prevent relapse, and aid their reintegration into society.The scheme will initially be introduced in the districts of Jammu, Srinagar, Kathua and Budgam and later extended to others, officials said.Under the scheme, a structured rehabilitation cycle will be established for drug abusers to ensure a seamless transition from “detoxification to socio-economic stabilisation” to reduce relapse rates and prevent premature exit from treatment, Dulloo said.The first six months will cover intake, assessment, treatment, stabilisation and rehabilitation planning under Phase I. The next six to 24 months will involve reintegration and livelihood activation under Phase II. The following 24-36 months will revolve around sustained monitoring and social inclusion.J&K home department will facilitate tracing and support for individuals requiring intervention. The health and medical education department will provide continuing mental health services, counselling, psychiatric care, de-addiction treatment and relapse-prevention support.

The education department will aid educational reintegration, academic continuity, re-enrolment, bridge learning and access to student support services, officials said.The labour and employment department will facilitate vocational training, skill development, employment placement and entrepreneurship development. The rural development and Panchayati Raj department will support community participation, family engagement, livelihood inclusion, social support networks and local-level rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives. The social welfare department will serve as the nodal department for implementation of the policy, officials said.On April 11, 2026, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched a 100-day anti-drug campaign under the “Nasha Mukt Abhiyaan”, which involved large-scale awareness programmes by the civil administration and police, destruction of poppy cultivation, random urine testing of drivers and intensified crackdowns on drug networks.

Over 32,500 drug abuse cases have been registered across J&K since 2022, with the highest number of patients reported from Srinagar and Jammu districts, govt data revealed. A 2022 study by Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences Kashmir estimated about 67,468 people in 10 Kashmir districts as “substance-dependent”.