Drug-Free Madhya Pradesh By 2029? Anti-Narcotics Task Force Plan Stuck In Approval Maze; 505 Posts Await Clearance

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The establishment of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) to make the state drug-free by 2029 is facing a financial crunch as the budget needed for the institution is pending with the state government and the posts needed for the work are still to be approved.

During a recent visit by Ministry of Home Affairs officials, the issue was discussed in a meeting and the officials asked the state officials to fill the gaps in the proposal and establish the ANTF to meet the deadline.

A meeting was held in Delhi in June this year, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, focused on a Drug-Free India. The establishment of Anti-Narcotics Task Forces (ANTFs) across various states was proposed.

In August, the Narcotics Control Bureau sent the state government a framework detailing the number of positions and the established standards for the ANTF.

Based on the proposal, the number of required positions for the force in the state, as well as the number of new police stations, was determined, taking into account geographical conditions and the routes used for the drug trade.

At present, the Narcotics Wing has only one police station in Indore. In the new plan, as many as eight police stations are proposed. Importantly, to cut the budget, it was proposed to utilise the Hawk Force, which was established to eradicate the Naxal menace, and induct it into the ANTF.

In April 2025, the state government sanctioned 325 posts for Hawk Force, comprising 122 officer-level positions and 203 constable-level positions. But the posts are still to be sanctioned and the recruitment drive is yet to take place.

The proposal

A proposal for 451 permanent and 54 temporary technical posts intended for ANTF headquarters and the eight new police stations has been submitted to the state home department. Once approved by the finance department, the ANTF will take shape.

The ANTF formation is unlikely to impose an additional financial burden on the state government as it will be staffed using existing, sanctioned positions from the current Narcotics Wing and the Hawk Force.

New narcotics police stations will be established in Bhopal, Mandsaur, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Mandla, Sagar, Rewa and Ujjain. The location of one or two police stations may be changed, sources said.

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Approval awaited

The proposal was with the state government. The work will start shortly after the approval. The police are committed to making the state drug-free, as was done along the lines of making it a Naxal-free state.

D Sreenivasa Varma, ADG, Narcotics