The Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) has launched a unified portal, which offers a comprehensive solution to user industries by streamlining the process of obtaining licensing and ExIM authorisations issued by the Bureau. The move is part of the CBN’s efforts to achieve targets under the Digital India mission.
According to a press release, the portal aims to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability among department users while catering to the needs of the pharma and chemical industry for synergistic growth of the drugs and pharma sector. Additionally, it strives to boost the economy for a self-reliant India by ensuring the availability of essential narcotic drugs and medicines to patients and their families, with the dual objective of meeting the industry’s requirements and serving the healthcare needs of the community.
The release stated the launch of the portal marks a significant milestone in improving the ease of doing business for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (NDPS) and controlled substances in the country. It aims to achieve this through increased transparency and better compliance with regulations.
The portal is calibrated to have database integration with other government services, such as Bharat Kosh, GST, PAN-NSDL validation, e-Sanchit, and Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), creating a unified platform for obtaining licenses from CBN. By facilitating single-point access to multiple government services, the portal aims to simplify the licensing process and make it more convenient and accessible for users.
Exporters, importers, and manufacturers of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and controlled substances are expected to be benefitted from this ecosystem, which supports and harbours user-friendly, secure transactions, cloud-based storage, and simplified process for applicants to obtain various licenses smoothly and transparently. These licenses include import certificates, export authorisations, no objection certificates for various NDPS and controlled substances, manufacturing licenses, and quota allocation of narcotic drugs.
The release noted that all the operations envisaged will be faceless and contactless. The applicants may file applications from anywhere and anytime, eliminating the need for physical interaction. Users can also raise queries with the department which shall be responded to through the portal. This will lead to a drastic reduction in processing time and conserve the resources of the trade for other business activities.
CBN is a central government organisation dealing with the international trade of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precursor chemicals under the ambit of various United Nations Conventions and the provisions of the NDPS Act of 1985. CBN is affiliated with India’s Department of Revenue and regulated by the country’s Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.
Substances such as narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances have both strong medicinal, scientific, and industrial use, as well as a potential for diversion and abuse. Balancing the availability of these substances for legitimate use with compliance with the law is essential. To address this, the Bureau has conceptualised the use of a digital platform for synergising and sustaining the balance between facilitation and compliance management. By leveraging technology, the platform aims to streamline the process of obtaining licenses and authorisations, while also ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements, ultimately promoting responsible use, and minimising the potential for misuse.
