Maharashtra Govt Approves Working Group To Strengthen NCORD Drug Control Decisions

The state government on Tuesday gave approval for the establishment of a working group under the chairmanship of additional chief secretary, home department, for the effective implementation of the decisions taken in the meeting of the state-level Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) committee.

As per Central government orders issued in 2022, a NCORD committee operates under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra and meetings are organised quarterly. The seventh meeting, held on February 3, 2025, concluded with a decision to form a working group of relevant department heads, chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, to strengthen drug control efforts through monthly meetings.

The group consists of officials from different departments including the Narcotics Control Bureau and Additional Director General of Police, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). Some of the scope of this working group would include to check the progress of creation of 'anti narcotics task force' in the state, deportation of foreigners involved in drug trafficking, creation of state detention centres and establishing institutional mechanism for regular inspection of chemical factories to prevent their usage for illicit drug manufacture including sick factories.

“The objective of this working group is to ensure implementation of decisions taken in the state-level NCORD meetings and curb the illegal sale and usage of narcotic substances. The scope of the working group would also include to check Public Awareness Programmes related to drug abuse, counselling of drug addicts, drug abuse survey (type of drug use, profile of drug addict etc), standardisation of de-addiction /rehab centers and scanning of containers at JNPT,” said a government official.