NEW DELHI, October 21 (Aalimi Nation) – Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday set a deadline of December 31, 2029 for eliminating drugs from India and asked police forces across the country to work together towards that goal.
Speaking at the National Police Memorial in the capital on Police Commemoration Day, Shah said the government had set a target to end the drug menace by the end of 2029. He said the drive would cover the remaining months of 2026 and the years 2027, 2028 and 2029.
Why the government is treating drugs as a security issue
Shah said drug abuse damages future generations and places an undue burden on the economy. He also said drug money provides financial support to organisations involved in anti-national activities.
To mark the occasion, Shah flagged off a nationwide motorcycle rally from the memorial under the theme "Fight Against Drugs". Officials said about 90 riders from nine states and Union Territories, along with personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces and central police organisations, are taking part in the rally.
Shah urged police forces in all states and Union Territories to treat the goal as a shared mission and to coordinate their efforts, rather than act in isolation. The rally is intended to carry the anti-drug message to a wider audience across the country.
Tribute to police personnel
October 21 is observed as Police Commemoration Day in memory of ten policemen who were killed in 1959 in an ambush by Chinese troops at Hot Springs in Ladakh. Shah said 36,852 police personnel have died in the line of duty since Independence. He said the nation remains grateful to them and their families, and that the sacrifices of the police laid the foundation for the country's progress and security.
Claims on Naxalism and elections
The Home Minister also spoke about internal security. He said India freed itself from Naxalism on March 31, 2026, after the problem had persisted from 1981. According to Shah, more than 3,600 security personnel and nearly 13,000 civilians lost their lives during that period. The figures are the minister's own.
On elections, Shah said protecting democracy and its smooth functioning depends on the Central Armed Police Forces. He said electoral violence had ended in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and that elections in West Bengal were held without any violence for the first time, which he credited to the vigilance of the security forces. These are the minister's own assessments.
What the target means in practice
Shah did not announce new laws, funding or a detailed enforcement plan in the remarks conveyed by officials. The deadline is therefore best read as a political and administrative goal that states and central agencies will now be expected to work towards.
What to watch next
State police forces and central agencies are expected to be asked how they plan to meet the 2029 target. The Home Ministry has not yet said when a detailed plan will be made public.
