Members of the state Assembly were stunned to learn that Meghalaya now has approximately 3 lakh drug users, up from just 2 lakh last year.
The latest figure was revealed by Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh in the Assembly today. He also informed that Meghalaya only received a sanction of Rs 1.3 lakh for 2021-22 under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR).
The issue of drug addiction was raised by Mawryngkneng MLA Heaving Stone Kharpran. Nongkrem MLA Ardent M Basaiawmoit (both are of the opposition Voice of the People Party) emphasised that the menace of drugs has become a nightmare for the state.
“As per the minister’s reply, the total number of addicts is roughly 3 lakh and that shows that the rise is alarming. It was last year in this house we discussed and the number of addicts informed was 2 lakh, so the increase is alarming,” Basaiawmoit stated.
The VPP leader added that the financial assistance given to Meghalaya by the Centre is meagre and he questioned if the state government has made any attempt to allocate more funds under this programme. He cited that other states like Manipur received Rs 7.2 crore in 2021-22 and Rs 7.63 crore in 2022-23.
Lyngdoh explained that with a new government having taken over at the Centre this year, attempts have been made for additional financial assistance under NAPDDR.
The minister also added that since the launch of the Meghalaya government’s DREAM initiative, the state has earmarked Rs 50 crore over next five years to combat the drug problem and financial assistance from the Centre would be on top of that.
Basaiawmoit also referred to and questioned the state government claims that it has been able to combat the drug menace and reduce it by 20 per cent. Lyngdoh defended this figure, saying that it was based on official statistics available with the department. “Figures that led us to this conclusion were based on a comprehensive collection of data and statistics sourced from different agencies, both government and private,” he said. “At the end of the survey, it has been shown that the success rate in tackling the drug menace in Meghalaya is around 20 per cent. It is not just tall claims made by the government but it is based on surveys and statistics.”
The question of rehabilitation centres was also dwelt on. Lyngdoh informed that there are 10 rehab centres in Meghalaya, six of which are supported by the state, one aided by the central government and three that are privately managed.
Five of the 10 centres are in East Khasi Hills. The three aided by the state government are Kripa Foundation centre for boys at Mawkasiang, KJPA New Hope centre for women in Mawkasiang and New Life centre for men at Umjarain. The centre supported by the central government is the KJPA New Hope centre for men at Mawkasiang.
The San-ker centre for men and women in Mawlai Mawroh is privately managed.
Kharpran was quick to seek information about the number of successful cases treated at the centres but the minister could not be precise. However, he did cite some figures, such as from West Jaintia Hills, where 131 drug addicts were treated in 2023-24 at rehab centres.
Another VPP legislator, Mawlai MLA Brightstarwell Marbaniang, claimed that, by his calculations based on the figures provided by Lyngdoh, each centre has an average intake of 20 patients, giving a total of 200 statewide, which amounts to just a drop in the ocean if there are 3 lakh drug addicts in Meghalaya.
However, the minister countered by explaining that live-in rehab centres are just one type of intervention. Other drug cases can be treated through counselling, medical intervention, etc. Regarding patients in rehab centres, they are only released once the staff are satisfied that they are drug-free and ready to return to society, Lyngdoh said.
Marbaniang was still unsatisfied with the Meghalaya response to the drug problem and cited the example of Tripura where, he said, there are multilayered facilities, with central level rehab centres built at a cost of Rs 121 crore and de-addiction centres in each district.
“I would like to see our government take concrete and proactive action as far as combating drugs is concerned and look at Tripura as an example,” stated Marbaniang.
Lyngdoh assured that the government understands the gravity of the situation and that it has approached the Centre to ensure that under NAPDDR all 12 districts in Meghalaya that are not covered under this scheme will be covered; currently only East Khasi Hills is under NAPDDR.
