Himachal Government Sanctions Rs. 5.34 crore for Kotla Barog de-addiction centre

Five more to come up across the state

The Himachal Pradesh Government has adopted a comprehensive two-pronged strategy to curb drug abuse and reintegrate drug-affected youth into mainstream. The strategy focuses both on preventing substance abuse among the youth and on rehabilitating those already addicted.

A Spokesperson of state government said here today that to facilitate rehabilitation the state government has sanctioned Rs. 5.34 crore for the construction of a 100 bedded state-of-the-art de-addiction centre at Kotla Barog, District Sirmaur, with ample space for recreational activities. In addition, five new drug de-addiction centres are being established in Mandi, Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, Solan and Sirmaur districts. For counseling and early intervention, 108 new ‘Disha’ centres have been set up in health institutions across the state where ASHA workers, doctors and psychiatrists are being specially trained. Currently four de-addiction and rehabilitation centres for men are operational in Kullu, Una, Hamirpur and Kangra, while a separate centre for women is being run by the Red Cross Society in District Kullu. 

For long-term preparedness the government is working in collaboration with NITI Aayog, PGI and the Health Department to frame a State Action Plan for drug prevention and rehabilitation. As a part of mass awareness efforts more than 5.76 lakh people have been sensitized about the ill effects of drug abuse under the National Drug Prevention Campaign covering 5,660 villages and 4,332 educational institutions, with a focus on adolescents, youth, women and the general public.

Strengthening the legal framework, he said, that the Government has passed the Himachal Pradesh Organized Crime (Prevention and Control) Bill-2025, which provides for stringent punishments including death penalty, life imprisonment, fine up to Rs. 10 lakh, and confiscation of illegally acquired property for those involved in drug smuggling. The Himachal Pradesh Drugs and Controlled Substances (Prevention, De-addiction and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2025 establishes a State Fund to support de-addiction, rehabilitation, preventive education and livelihood initiatives, while also prescribing strict penalties for those engaged in the illegal drug trade.

 To curb illicit manufacturing of narcotics, the Government is also constituting a special monitoring committee led by the SDM and officers from the Excise, Police and Health Departments, to oversee codal formalities and regulate pharmaceutical companies holding narcotic drug licenses.

The spokesperson said that “The State Government reaffirms its commitment to making Himachal Pradesh a drug-free state, with a focus on prevention, rehabilitation, awareness and stringent enforcement against offenders.”