Shillong: Opposition members of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly were alarmed on Tuesday upon hearing that the total number of drug users in the state has surged to approximately 3 lakhs. Despite this alarming rise, the state has only received a total sanction of ₹1.3 lakh for the fiscal year 2021-2022 under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR).
This information was disclosed by Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh during a question-and-answer session of the Autumn Session. The issue was raised by Mawryngkneng MLA Heaving Stone Kharpran.
Nongkrem MLA and president of the Voice of the People Party (VPP), Ardent Basaiawmoit, stressed that the drug problem has become a nightmare for Meghalaya. He noted the worrying increase in the number of drug addicts, which has risen from 2 lakhs to 3 lakhs since last year. “The increase is alarming,” he stated.
Basaiawmoit criticized the meager financial assistance provided to Meghalaya, questioning whether the state government had made any efforts to request additional funding under the program. He highlighted that other states like Manipur received significantly higher allocations, with ₹6.34 crore in 2021, ₹7.2 crore in 2021-22, and ₹7.63 crore in 2022-23.
Minister Lyngdoh explained that the new government at the Centre has taken over and efforts are being made to secure additional financial assistance from the ministry. He assured the House that he has established contacts with the ministry in Delhi and plans to meet the minister in charge after the Autumn Session.
He also noted that since the launch of the DREAM project, the state government has earmarked ₹50 crore over the next five years to combat the drug menace, in addition to financial assistance from the Centre.
Basaiawmoit questioned the government’s claim of having successfully reduced the drug problem by 20%, asking for details on the surveys or studies conducted to support this claim. Lyngdoh responded that the figure is based on official statistics gathered from various government and private agencies, showing a 20% success rate in tackling the drug menace in Meghalaya.
The state has a total of 10 rehabilitation centers, with six supported by the state government, one centrally aided, and three privately managed. Five of these centers are located in the East Khasi Hills District.
During the session, Kharpran inquired about the manpower and their qualifications at these centers. Lyngdoh replied that the centers adhere to the NAPDDR guidelines, and all staff are professionally qualified in fields such as psychotherapy and physiotherapy, with a total number of staff ranging from 7-10 per center.
Kharpran also sought details on the number of successful cases treated at these centers, but Lyngdoh could not provide precise figures. However, he mentioned that in West Jaintia Hills alone, 272 patients have been treated from 2020 to 2024.
Mawlai MLA Brightstarwell Marbaniang pointed out the significant gap between the number of drug users and the intake capacity of the rehabilitation centers, which is around 200 patients. He urged the government to be more proactive in combating the drug menace, citing Tripura’s multi-layered facilities as an example of effective intervention.
In response, Lyngdoh assured that the government is aware of the severity of the drug issue and has approached the Centre to ensure all 12 districts in Meghalaya are covered under the NAPDDR, as currently only East Khasi Hills is included.
Lyngdoh also addressed a query by MLA Adelbert Nongrum about drug seizures, stating that confiscated drugs are inventoried and destroyed, with recent destructions carried out at a cement plant in East Jaintia Hills District.
He further noted that the highest occurrence of drug addiction is in the state capital, Shillong.
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