The government has assigned the Drug Control Officer as per the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act, 2033 BS, said the Narcotic Control Section under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand initiated this.

A Cabinet meeting on January 5 assigned section chief of the Narcotics Control Section and assistant Chief District Officer of each district as the Drug Control Officer. Earlier, chief of the Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division took charge of the Drug Control Officer at the Ministry.

There is a provision that one or more drug control officers, deputy officers and other officers can be assigned. This provision means for virtue, health and convenience of people following increasing incidents of purchase, sale and use of illegal drugs, said chief undersecretary of the Narcotic Control Section, Gokarna Prasad Upadhyay.

The assignment aims to control transaction and use of illegal drugs by making the district administration office of all 77 districts active in this regard as efforts of the Narcotic Control Section and Nepal Police were not enough, said the Ministry. The drug control officer is tasked with creating awareness to prevent and control narcotic substances, monitoring transits from where illegal drugs are transported, coordinating with the provincial and local levels on the matter and reporting to the Ministry accordingly.