To make sure that no person struggles with drug addiction, the Uttar Pradesh government, under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction Scheme, would set up 30-bed drug addiction centres at King George’s Medical University in Lucknow and BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur.

To make sure that youth get rid of drug addiction and alcohol, the Yogi Adityanath government is already providing free treatment and publicising drug abuse results through rehabilitation centres.

The state prohibition officer claimed here on Saturday that 10-bed addiction treatment centres will be set up in government hospitals in other districts of UP along with 30-bed de-addiction centres in Lucknow and Gorakhpur.

In these centres, drug addiction along with treatment, educational awareness, identification, counselling and treatment will be provided.

A fund of more than Rs 6 crore has been provisioned for this scheme by the Government of India for the financial year 2020-21.

As many as 23 de-addiction centres are being operated in the state by non-government voluntary institutions funded by the Government of India on behalf of the state Prohibition department. These centres are providing free treatment to patients struggling with drug addiction.

These rehab centres of the state, till November 2020, have rehabilitated over 1,800 addicts and connected them with the mainstream of society. After the construction of new de-addiction centres in Lucknow and Gorakhpur, the drug eradication programmes will gain momentum.

According to the department, after the creation of two new de-addiction centres in Lucknow and Gorakhpur, the drug eradication programme will gain momentum.

Wide-scale awareness programmes, including documentaries, sports competitions, rallies, seminars, exhibitions, etc. are being organised in the state by the Prohibition department for the eradication of intoxication.

Under these programmes, students and young people are motivated and made aware to quit the addiction to drugs and alcohol.

It may be recalled that last year, over 300 sports competitions, 88 documentaries, 112 exhibitions and 571 seminars were organised by the Prohibition department. In these programmes, more than 1,000 students who took part in educational and sports competitions were also honoured by the department.