Why in Broadcast?

• The Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) has launched an integrated portal to facilitate licensing and EXIM (Export and Import) authorizations for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries.

About Central Bureau of Narcotics

• The CBN is a central government agency tasked with enforcing the NDPS Act of 1985 and other international treaties governing the trafficking of narcotics, psychotropic medicines, and precursor chemicals.
• The Central Bureau of Narcotics headquarters is located at Gwalior.
• Three Deputy Narcotics Commissioners (DNC), who are in charge of the units in the opium-growing states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, support the Narcotics Commissioner of India.

About Unified Portal

• This site is set up for database integration and ingestion with other government services like as Bharat Kosh, GST, PAN-NSDL validation, e-Sanchit, and UIDAI, allowing for one point services for getting CBN licences.
• Applicants may file applications from anywhere and at any time, 24X7, removing the need for actual interaction.
• Applicants may raise quarries, which will be answered through the portal.
• This will leverage drastic reduction in ‘processingtime’ and conserving the resources of the trade for other fruitful business activities.

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act,1985

• The Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985 (NDPS Act) was enacted on November 14, 1985, to make it illegal to produce, cultivate, possess, sell, acquire, transport, store, or use narcotics without approval from the relevant authorities.

Responsibilities of CBN

• Supervision over licit cultivation of opium poppy in India which is spread across 22 Districts 102 Tehsils/ Parganas in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
• Preventive and enforcement functions especially in the three poppy growing States.
• Investigation of cases under the NDPS Act, 1985 and filing of complaint in the Court.
• Action for tracing and freezing of illegally acquired property as per the provisions of Chapter V-A of the NDPS Act, 1985.
• Issue of licences for manufacture of synthetic narcotic drugs.
• Issuance of Export Authorisations/ Import Certificate for export/ import of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
• Issuance of No Objection Certificate (NOC) for import/ export of a select number of Precursor Chemicals.
• All import contracts for item shall compulsory be registered with the Narcotics Commissioner, Gwalior prior to import.

Way Forward

• The inauguration of the CBN’s single site will serve as a stepping stone towards greater transparency and compliance for narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances (NDPS), and prohibited substances in the country.
• The CBN’s unified portal will instill efficiency, transparency, and accountability in department users, with the dual goal of catering to the needs of the pharma and chemical industries for synergistic growth of the drugs and pharma sector and boosting the economy for “Aatma Nirbhar Bharat.”