Combatting Drug Abuse in Jammu and Kashmir: A Comprehensive Approach
The Jammu and Kashmir government is taking proactive steps to address the issue of drug abuse in the Union territory by launching a community rehabilitation programme known as Circle of Care. This initiative aims to provide support to de-addiction counsellors in every village across 10 districts through a survey on substance use disorders.
With the highest number of functional addiction treatment facilities (ATFs) in the country, Jammu and Kashmir has offered around 1.5 lakh patient consultations through these facilities. Minister for Health Sakina Itoo emphasized the importance of understanding substance use disorders through the upcoming survey, which will be part of a national exercise.
As part of the Circle of Care programme, approximately 600 counsellors from various departments have been trained to support individuals struggling with addiction. The government is also focusing on making primary care the primary treatment option for addiction-related disorders by expanding inpatient ATFs and establishing long-term rehabilitation facilities in a specific region of Jammu and Kashmir.
Furthermore, efforts are being made to finalize drug de-addiction rules to strengthen the fight against drug abuse in the region. The introduction of these rules is expected to significantly enhance the ongoing efforts to combat the drug menace in Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, a bill targeting the drug menace will be introduced in the current session to address this social issue.
Ensuring Food Safety and Compliance
In addition to addressing drug abuse, the government of Jammu and Kashmir has also taken significant steps to ensure food safety in the region. Stronger enforcement measures and increased sampling activities have been implemented to uphold food safety standards.
During the period, inspections of food establishments increased by 25%, with a total of 19,115 inspections conducted. This exceeded the target of 7,080 inspections set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, demonstrating a commitment to food safety compliance.
Special enforcement drives focused on high-risk food items such as meat, paneer, ghee, sweets, and milk products have been carried out. Through mobile food safety operations, 57 tonnes of unsafe food products worth Rs 99.40 lakh were seized and destroyed to protect consumers.
Authorities have also launched 1,007 prosecutions, including both criminal and civil cases, resulting in penalties amounting to Rs 1.72 crore. Additionally, 40 ‘stop-use’ notices were issued to prevent the sale of unsafe food products.
To educate stakeholders and raise awareness about food safety, 66 licence and registration camps were organized, benefiting 7,516 individuals. Furthermore, 3,463 awareness and training camps were conducted through mobile food testing vans at the grassroots level to promote food safety practices.
