JAMMU, Feb 05, 2026 – Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo, informed the Legislative Assembly today that the Union Territory’s new drug de-addiction rules are in the final stages of completion and will be implemented shortly.
Responding to a query during the Question Hour of the ongoing Budget Session, the Minister emphasized that these rules are a critical component of a broader strategy to combat substance abuse in Jammu and Kashmir.
She further announced that the government plans to introduce a dedicated bill against the drug menace during the current session to provide a stronger legal framework for tackling this escalating social crisis.
To curb the unauthorized sale of narcotics, the Health Minister stated that medical and chemist shops have been strictly mandated to install CCTV cameras for transparent monitoring. Highlighting the multifaceted nature of the challenge, she called for a “collective fight” involving all stakeholders, including legislators, and noted that while the Health Department and Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan are strengthening treatment services, the Home Department plays a primary role in enforcement.
Currently, the department is focusing on optimizing existing infrastructure rather than establishing new centers, with Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) already operational across all districts in both Kashmir and Jammu divisions.
Presently, 11 ATFs are functional in the Kashmir Division at major institutions including SKIMS Soura and various GMCs and District Hospitals, offering both Outpatient (OPD) and Inpatient (IPD) services. Similarly, in the Jammu Division, ATFs are available at GMCs in Doda, Jammu, Kathua, Rajouri, and Udhampur, alongside several District Hospitals, with specialist psychiatric support available at nine Government Medical Colleges.
Minister Itoo concluded by acknowledging the role of private NGOs in providing rehabilitation and confirmed that de-addiction OPD services are now accessible in all 20 districts of J&K to ensure widespread access to counseling and clinical oversight.
