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The Central Government has approved the establishment of a Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Office in Shimla to strengthen efforts to combat drug trafficking and enhance enforcement capabilities in Himachal Pradesh, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
In a written reply to a question by BJP MP Dr Rajeev Bharadwaj, Rai said the decision follows requests from the Himachal Pradesh government for a stronger NCB presence in the state. "A Field Office of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has been operational in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, since January 21, 2024. A request from the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh was received for augmenting the presence of the NCB in the state due to the growing menace of drug-related issues," the Minister stated. The Minister further noted that the Director General of Police (DGP), Himachal Pradesh, had also specifically requested the opening of a Zonal Office in Shimla. "The Government of India approved the setting up of a Zonal Office of the NCB at Shimla on June 17, 2026. The new Zonal Unit is expected to significantly enhance the NCB's operational capabilities, improve intelligence collection, and facilitate better inter-agency coordination," Rai said in his reply. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the expansion of the NCB's footprint in the hill state is aimed at facilitating a faster response to international drug networks and strengthening enforcement efforts against drug peddlers effectively across the region. The clarification came in a written reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2698 raised by MP Dr. Rajeev Bharadwaj. Dr Bharadwaj had asked whether the government proposed to set up a special unit of the NCB in Himachal Pradesh to take prompt action against international drug networks and check drug peddlers effectively. He also inquired whether the State Government had forwarded any official request to the Union Government in this regard and sought details of the same. (ANI)
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