MANAS: A Digital Shield Against Drugs

July 2, 2026

National Narcotics Helpline Empowering Citizens for a Nasha Mukt Bharat

MANAS: An Architecture that Puts Power in Citizens’ Hands

The Government of India has identified substance abuse and drug trafficking as major social and public health concerns. Beyond individuals, these issues affect families, communities, and public safety. To strengthen citizen participation and improve access to support services, the Government recognised the need for an accessible and confidential platform for reporting drug-related activities and seeking assistance.

To bridge this need, National Narcotics Helpline MANAS (Madak Padarth Nishedh Asoochna Kendra) was launched on 18 July 2024 under the aegis of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, in collaboration with the Digital India Corporation (DIC). Built as a secure, technology-driven platform, MANAS enables citizens to report drug-related activities, seek counselling, and access rehabilitation support at any time.

MANAS brings together the vision of Digital India and the mission of a Nasha Mukt Bharat. The platform is accessible through the national helpline number 1933, the official portal, email and the UMANG app. By making support available through these platforms, MANAS empowers citizens to actively participate in the fight against drug abuse instead of remaining silent bystanders.

Did You Know?

India’s first comprehensive report on Magnitude of Substance Abuse of India (2019) revealed the true scale of the drug abuse problem.

Around 16 crore people consume alcohol, out of these over 5.7 crore are severely affected.
3.1 crore use cannabis, 2.26 crore use opioids, and about 1.18 crore use sedatives.
Roughly 2.8 crore people depend on opioids alone, including about 28 lakh needing urgent treatment.

What MANAS Offers

MANAS is designed around citizen needs, combining reporting, counselling, and awareness within a single architecture.

Citizens can confidentially report drug trafficking, peddling, illegal cultivation, and related activities without revealing their identity.
People affected by addiction can access counselling and support, with calls transferred to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment helpline 14446.
Services remain accessible anytime through the 1933 helpline, the web portal, and the UMANG application, ensuring nationwide reach.
Digital ticket generation and workflow management enable faster information sharing with concerned agencies, improving coordination and response time.
Inclusive features such as multilingual call support, a Smart IVRS, chatbot integration and regional language assistance are being developed to widen access further.

How can I help a drug addict?

The drug addict is the victim in the vicious circle of drug supply and demand. He or she should be seen with respect and encouraged to seek professional and medical help in the nearest government de-addiction center. He or she should be encouraged for counseling and therapy.

Impact: Steadily Growing Public Trust

Since its launch, MANAS has expanded citizen outreach, strengthened public service delivery, and improved coordination among drug law-enforcement agencies. The platform has enabled citizens to report drug-related activities more easily through secure channels. It has also strengthened information-sharing between citizens and enforcement agencies, improving response mechanisms against drug trafficking and substance abuse.

It has also improved access to counselling, rehabilitation, and awareness services across the country. Increasing use of professional counselling support reflects greater willingness among citizens to seek help for substance abuse concerns. Awareness activities through online platforms have encouraged wider public and youth participation in anti-drug campaigns. The platform’s fully digitized workflows have improved coordination and service delivery. It is also supporting the larger vision of a Nasha Mukt Bharat through technology-driven citizen engagement.

How MANAS Strengthens the Digital India Promise

MANAS is a working example of how technology can be leveraged to protect citizens and deliver public services. It advances the vision of the mission in clear, practical ways:

MANAS works around the clock, and can be reached from anywhere in India.
It turns public alertness into useful, on-record intelligence, making people active partners in governance rather than passive recipients of services.
Every report can be logged, registered, tracked and resolved through digitized workflows, bringing speed, transparency and accountability.
It links the public directly with the 30 NCB Zonal Units and 36 State and Union Territory Anti-Narcotics Task Forces (ANTFs).
The portal is designed as a unified, secure and bilingual platform.
It runs awareness drives on the MyGov portal, such as quizzes, poster contests and reel-making contests, to engage teenagers and youth across the country.
Because information is captured digitally, the data can be studied for patterns and trends, helping agencies see where problems are rising and plan their response.

Towards a Nasha Mukt Bharat

MANAS shows how Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) can be put to work for citizen protection and social good. By weaving together technology, citizen participation, counselling, analytics and secure reporting, the platform is helping build a safer, healthier and drug-free India, one report and one call at a time. As its reach grows and its tools mature, MANAS stands as a clear example of governance that is both digital and deeply human.

References

Ministry of Home Affairs

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