Kullu admn wins Skoch Award for women’s drug rehabilitation initiative

The Kullu district administration has been awarded the prestigious Skoch Award 2024 for establishing Himachal Pradesh’s first Integrated Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre (IDPRC) for women at Bhuntar in 2022. The initiative was undertaken by the District Red Cross Society (RCS) to address the growing addiction problem among women in the state.

Assistant Commissioner Shashi Pal Negi and RCS Secretary VK Moudgil received the award on November 30 in New Delhi. Kullu Deputy Commissioner Torul S Raveesh congratulated the project team for their dedicated efforts. The IDPRC, a 15-bed facility, is the only centre in the state offering comprehensive care for women addicts. Its services include identification, counselling, de-addiction treatment, aftercare and rehabilitation, with the aim of making beneficiaries drug-free, crime-free and employable.

Since its inception, the project has treated 482 women addicts through outpatient and inpatient programmes. Serious cases are admitted for detoxification and receive free treatment under the care of an all-women staff, including doctors, psychologists, and yoga therapists. Patients are provided free boarding, lodging and recreational facilities, along with regular medical monitoring. Emergency referrals are made when necessary.

Post-treatment, the centre assesses rehabilitation needs and arranges vocational training to help women reintegrate into society and achieve self-sustainability. Efforts are also made to prevent relapse through follow-up support. The project, implemented at a cost of Rs 1.28 crore since 2022, is co-funded by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment and the RCS.