Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday called for a stringent ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy against the growing drug menace in Jammu and Kashmir, directing civil and police administration to adopt a coordinated and aggressive approach to tackle the issue.
Chairing a high-level meeting with Deputy Commissioners, SSPs and senior officials at Lok Bhavan, Jammu, the Lieutenant Governor emphasised a comprehensive, multi-pronged strategy to eliminate drug abuse and trafficking from the Union Territory.
He stressed the need to strengthen law enforcement mechanisms to dismantle drug trafficking networks, while simultaneously focusing on preventive and corrective measures. “Action against drug abuse must be our top priority. We need a collective mechanism to safeguard our youth and ensure a healthy future for Jammu & Kashmir,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor underlined the importance of intensified mass awareness campaigns to deter potential users, along with improved treatment, counselling, and rehabilitation facilities for affected individuals.
Calling for tighter surveillance, Sinha directed officials to enhance grassroots intelligence and ensure coordinated and stringent action against drug smugglers. He said law enforcement agencies must work in close synergy to break the supply chain and bring perpetrators to justice.
The meeting also reviewed preparations for a dedicated three-month campaign under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan. The Lieutenant Governor urged senior officials to lead the campaign from the front and ensure active participation from all sections of society.
He stressed that the campaign must evolve into a mass movement, involving educational institutions, community leaders, civil society groups, and other stakeholders to create widespread awareness and behavioural change.
Senior officials present at the meeting included Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, Principal Secretary Home Chandraker Bharti, along with top officers from civil administration and police, including ADGPs, IGPs, DIGs, Deputy Commissioners and SSPs.
The Lieutenant Governor reiterated that the administration remains committed to making Jammu and Kashmir a drug-free Union Territory through sustained enforcement, public participation, and institutional support systems.
Meanwhile, he chaired a high-level meeting to discuss a strategic collaboration between SKUAST Jammu and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) for strengthening evidence-based policy-making and sustainable agricultural transformation in the Union Territory.
He welcomed the proposed collaboration with IFPRI, noting that its global expertise would significantly strengthen institutional capacities in the region.
The meeting discussed the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Food Policy and Data Analytics at SKUAST-Jammu in collaboration with IFPRI. The proposed Centre is envisioned as a knowledge hub to support continuous monitoring, policy evaluation and data-driven decision making while also contributing to national and global discourse on agricultural transformation, particularly in mountain and high-value production systems.
Experts from IFPRI, including Dr. Shahidur Rashid, Director, IFPRI-South Asia and Dr. Anjani Kumar, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI-South Asia, shared insights on institutional and technical support required for revitalizing agriculture and rural economies. During the meeting, Dr. Anjani Kumar presented a detailed presentation on “Institutional and Technical Supports for Revitalizing Agriculture and Rural Economies in Jammu & Kashmir.”
The deliberations also underscored the importance of convergence across key initiatives such as HADP, JKCIP and Mission YUVA with a focus on improving farmer incomes, generating employment, strengthening value chains and promoting inclusive growth, particularly for smallholders, women and youth.
