Money to be credited in 3 days; rewards to go beyond Rs 10 lakh for busting big networks
Sourabh Sood
Shimla:
In one of the strongest measures taken so far against the chitta menace, the Himachal Pradesh government under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has unveiled an aggressive reward-based intelligence system in which citizens can earn Rs 10,000 for providing information on as little as 2 grams of chitta, with the reward amount rising to over Rs 10 lakh for information that helps the police dismantle major drug networks.
The government has assured that the informer’s name, address and identity would remain fully confidential, and their safety would be the administration’s responsibility.
This bold initiative comes at a time when Himachal Pradesh has been fighting a prolonged and painful battle against narcotics, especially chitta, whose entry into the hills began after its rapid spread in neighbouring Punjab.
Turning drug-free Himachal a non-negotiable mission
Border districts connected to Punjab have seen repeated attempts by traffickers to expand supply chains deeper into Himachal, affecting the youth and triggering widespread public concern.
Over recent years, protests by parents, civil society groups and student bodies have intensified, urging the government to take decisive action to protect the younger generation from addiction. The Sukhu government has since adopted an uncompromising stance, declaring that a drug-free Himachal is a non-negotiable mission.
At a recent anti-drug awareness event, the state police displayed the new reward framework, laying out a graded structure based on the quantity of drugs reported. Citizens will receive Rs 10,000 for information related to 2 grams, Rs 25,000 for 5 grams, Rs 50,000 for 25 grams and Rs 1 lakh for 1 kg of narcotics.
Information leading to the seizure of 5 kg or more will fetch more than Rs 5 lakh, while intelligence that helps crack larger trafficking networks can earn informers well over Rs 5 lakh, going up to Rs 10 lakh or higher depending on the scale of the breakthrough.
Credible information to be shared on 112
In a further boost to public participation, the police have assured that the reward amount will be disbursed within just three days after verification. Citizens have been asked to remember only one number — 112 — to share any credible information, or to report directly to the nearest police station. The administration reiterated that the safety of the informer will be guaranteed at all times, and no detail of their identity will be disclosed under any circumstances.
Senior officials emphasised that the government’s resolve is absolute: no person involved in drug peddling or trafficking will be spared, regardless of their influence or position. They stressed that this campaign is not merely a policy initiative but a moral obligation toward the state’s youth.
“We will not allow our children to fall into the trap of narcotics under any circumstances,” officials declared, underscoring the emotional and social urgency behind the initiative.
The newly launched reward scheme is being hailed as a decisive, community-driven step in Himachal’s expanding crackdown on chitta and other narcotics. With public involvement, rapid police response and the promise of strict action against offenders, the state government believes it has created a powerful model to dismantle drug networks and accelerate its mission toward a truly drug-free Himachal Pradesh.
