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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. *509
TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2026/CHAITRA 09, 1948 (SAKA)
ILLEGAL OPIUM CULTIVATION IN CHHATTISGARH
†*509. SMT. JYOTSNA CHARANDAS MAHANT:
Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that the Narcotics Control Bureau has taken cognizance of
the widespread illegal opium cultivation discovered in Durg and Balrampur districts of
Chhattisgarh in March 2026, if so, the reaction of the Government thereon;
(b) whether the Government is aware that the Village Sarpanch of Balrampur had
informed the local authorities about the said cultivation in January 2026 itself and if so,
the reasons for the delay in taking action;
(c) the steps taken by the Government to investigate any administrative or political
complicity in allowing such large-scale illegal cultivation in the 'Rice Bowl' of the
country; and
(d) the concrete measures being taken by the Government to prevent the use of
agricultural land in tribal and border districts for the cultivation of illegal narcotic plants?
ANSWER
THE FINANCE MINISTER
(SMT. NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)
(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
********Statement referred in reply to parts (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No.
509 to be answered on 30.03.2026 regarding Illegal Opium Cultivation in
Chhattisgarh by Smt. Jyotsna Charandas Mahant:
(a) to (c): On 07.03.2026, Police Station Pulgaon (Durg), the State Police and the
Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) destroyed illegally cultivated opium poppy plants in
Durg district, Chhattisgarh. Similar actions were carried out in two separate cases on
11.03.2026 and on 12.03.2026, by Police Station Kusmi and by Police Station Korandha,
Balrampur district, Chhattisgarh, respectively in coordination with other concerned state
departments. Separate FIRs have been registered in all these cases.
(d): The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act includes statutory
provisions aimed at preventing the illegal cultivation of narcotic crops and ensures the
accountability of landholders. Further, the NDPS Act mandates that every government
officer, as well as every panch, sarpanch, and other village official, must promptly report
any such activities upon gaining knowledge of them. As per the National Policy on
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 2012, the Central Economic Intelligence
Bureau (CEIB) conducts satellite surveys of illicit opium poppy cultivation and shares the
imagery and intelligence inputs with the NCB and CBN, which then coordinate
destruction operations with State authorities.