Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment

Subject – Governance

Context – Avoid jail for drug users, seizure of small amounts: Social justice ministry

Concept –

The mandate of the Ministry is empowerment of the socially, educationally and economically marginalised sections of the society including Scheduled Castes, other Backward Class, Senior Citizens, Victims of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Transgender Persons, Beggars, Denotified and Nomadic Tribes (DNTs), Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) and Economically Weaker Section (EWS).
Important Schemes –
- National Survey on Extent and Pattern of substance (Drugs) Abuse in India – National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) for 2018-25 has also been prepared and implemented, which aims at reduction of adverse consequences of drug abuse through a multipronged strategy involving education, de-addiction and rehabilitation of affected individuals and their families.
- Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse – The central sector scheme is being implemented for identification, counseling, treatment and rehabilitation of addicts through voluntary and other eligible organizations.

Constitutional Provisions against drug addiction –

Article 47 of the Constitution provides that the State shall endeavor to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health.

International Conventions –

India is a signatory to three United Nations Conventions, namely:

Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961;
Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971; and
Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988.