New policy on drugs unveiled; sees role for private sector

NEW DELHI: The government today unveiled the national narcotics policy that envisions private sector participation in cultivation of poppy and alkaloids as it aims to combat terror financing and black money generation through illegal trade of drugs.

Unveiling the 'Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Policy', Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that apart from the obvious damage to the health of individuals and society, an obvious offshoot of drug trafficking activity is the quantum of black money that it generates.

"While it is difficult to pinpoint the exact numbers, I am told that the UNODC estimates the quantum of global market in illicit drugs to be of the order of several hundred billion dollars. The deleterious effect of this quantum of black economy in the world can well be imagined.

"That this money can then finance several other forms of criminal activity including terror financing and other forms of transnational organised crime does not require much elaboration," Mukherjee said.

The policy recommends "production of Concentrate of Poppy Straw (CPS) in India by a company or body corporate".

"This would enable India to retain its status of a traditional supplier of Opiate Raw Material (ORM) to the rest of world, while remaining competitive," the policy said.