SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir administration is set to launch a pilot rehabilitation programme for drug abuse victims in two of the Union Territory’s worst-affected districts after Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday reviewed a comprehensive rehabilitation and socio-economic reintegration scheme aimed at helping recovering addicts return to mainstream society.
Chairing a high-level meeting at Raj Bhawan, the Lieutenant Governor reviewed the proposed Rehabilitation and Socio-Economic Reintegration Scheme for Drug Abuse Victims, 2026, which envisages a coordinated, multi-departmental framework to support people recovering from substance use disorders.
The proposed scheme has been designed around a structured three-year rehabilitation cycle. The first phase focuses on medical treatment, counselling and preparation of Individual Rehabilitation Plans (IRPs). The second phase aims to facilitate education, skill development, employment and family reintegration, while the final phase provides long-term monitoring, relapse prevention, community support and sustained social inclusion.
Officials informed the meeting that a dedicated Rehabilitation Monitoring Portal (RMP) is also being developed to digitally manage cases, monitor rehabilitation plans, facilitate coordination among departments and track rehabilitation outcomes while maintaining beneficiaries’ confidentiality.
The scheme has been prepared by a Task Force headed by the Principal Secretary, Home Department, following directions from Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, with the Social Welfare Department acting as the nodal agency.
Appreciating the work of the Task Force, Sinha said rehabilitation efforts must go beyond medical treatment and focus on restoring dignity, livelihood and social acceptance for recovering victims.
He stressed that community participation, family support, skill development and continuous monitoring should remain central to the rehabilitation process and directed departments to work in close coordination for effective implementation.
The Lieutenant Governor also called for greater use of technology to ensure transparency and evidence-based monitoring of rehabilitation outcomes.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the programme before its wider rollout, Sinha directed that the scheme be implemented initially in two of the most affected districts—one each from Kashmir and Jammu divisions.
“The pilot implementation should be closely monitored so that the learnings can be incorporated before scaling up the scheme across the Union Territory,” he said.
He further instructed officials to identify committed officers to oversee rehabilitation efforts and involve trained women volunteers and self-help groups in counselling and rehabilitation activities.
Highlighting the importance of public participation, Sinha said volunteers and willing government employees should be encouraged to contribute to rehabilitation programmes, while training and capacity-building initiatives for frontline staff should begin at the earliest to strengthen service delivery.
Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Principal Secretary Home Chandraker Bharti, Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor Mandeep K. Bhandari, Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare Sarmad Hafeez and other senior officers attended the meeting.
