Mumbai
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday announced that the Maharashtra government will amend the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) during the ongoing monsoon session to address rising drug smuggling cases. The move aims to plug legal gaps where accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act often get bail.
In response to BJP MLA Parinay Fuke, Fadnavis said every police station now has a separate NDPS unit, and district-level coordination committees have been formed. He added that coordination with the central government and other states has improved, enabling more joint action against smugglers.
The CM also highlighted the need for quality addiction recovery centres and said strict action will be taken against those smuggling banned items like cannabis and gutkha.
Responding to Shiv Sena UBT MLA Sunil Shinde, Fadnavis assured that all pending compassionate recruitment cases in the police force will be resolved under the government’s 150-day mission plan. He noted that police across the state are now receiving weekly offs and 8-hour shifts, with exceptions during festivals. Encashment for unused leave has also been increased.
Fadnavis mentioned large-scale police housing projects are underway across Maharashtra and praised the Police Housing Construction Corporation’s work. The DG Loan Scheme, previously halted, has been revived to support housing.
To address lifestyle-related diseases, annual health check-ups have been made mandatory for police over 40, and biannual for those over 50. A counselling programme is also being run to support police mental health.