The State government will establish about 20 rehabilitation centres in Meghalaya by 2025.
Social welfare minister Paul Lyngdoh said the department is working on the proposal to have an additional of atleast 20 more rehab centres.
At present there are roughly 10 rehab centres in the state which has also left many individuals fighting substance abuse to find rehabilitation in other neighbouring states.
Lyngdoh stated institutes like church-based centres they have funded them either partially or fully. “It is not that we have left them alone to tackle the issue on their own. At present there are 9 centres owned and run by private institutions. But certainly the situation needs further improvement and we will add atleast 15-20 more centres by 2025,” he said.
On reports of youths allegedly being harassed in a rehab centre called Alive Again Foundation in Assam, the minister said the government has written to its counterpart in Assam and has sought a report.
Lyngdoh said that the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner has also sought a report from the concerned department in Assam.
“So in the next couple of hours, I’ll be doing a review of this specific incident,” said Lyngdoh. He added that the government has always taken prompt action even when such a case was reported in Mizoram.
“Our principal Secretary has spoken to the authorities in Assam, and I’m taking a review in the next couple of hours from now,” assured the minister.
