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REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
The Gazette of India
CG-DL-E-30102024-258374
EXTRAORDINARY
PART II-Section 3-Sub-section (i)
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
No. 619]
NEW DELHI, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2024/KARTIKA 8, 1946
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(Department of Revenue)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 30th October, 2024
No. 03/2024-Narcotics Control-1
G.S.R. 677(E). — In pursuance of rule 8 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Rules, 1985, the
Central Government hereby notifies the general conditions for eligibility to continue cultivation for licensees and grant
of license specified below for cultivation of opium poppy for production of Poppy Straw from which no juice is extracted
through lancing on account of the Central Government during the Opium Crop Year Commencing on the 1st day of
October, 2024 and ending with the 30th day of September, 2025.
1. Place of Cultivation
Opium poppy cultivation may be licensed in any tract as may be notified in this behalf by the Central Government.
2. Eligibility for Cultivation
Subject to clauses 3 and 7 of this notification, the following cultivators (including their legal heirs) shall be eligible
for a license to cultivate opium poppy for production of Poppy Straw from which no juice is extracted through lancing:
(i) Cultivators who, on the basis of licenses issued to them, had cultivated opium poppy for production of
Poppy Straw from which no juice is extracted through lancing during the crop year 2023-24 and have
tendered an average yield of un-lanced poppy straw 675 kgs per Hectare or above at weighment center and
have not been de barred from cultivation of opium poppy on any of the ground mentioned in Para 5(ii) of
this opium policy.
Note:- Cultivators who have tendered an average yield of un-lanced poppy straw below 675 kgs per Hectare
during crop year 2023-24 are suspended from opium poppy cultivation during crop year 2024-25. However,
they will continue to hold licence for next crop year and will be eligible for cultivation subject to conditions
imposed by policy of that year.
(ii) Cultivators who have tendered an average yield of Morphine (MQY-M) 3.0 kg per hectare and above but
less than 4.2 kg per hectare from the opium poppy cultivated for obtaining opium gum through lancing in
crop year 2023-24.
(iii) Cultivators who have tendered unlanced poppy straw 900 kg per hectare or more during crop year 2023-24,
if they do not opt for opium gum as per general licensing conditions for opium cultivation for production of
opium gum for crop year 2024-25 and voluntarily want to continue cultivation of opium poppy for
production of Poppy Straw from which no juice is extracted through lancing.
(iv) Cultivators who ploughed back their entire poppy crop, cultivated during the crop year 2022-23 & 2023-24
under the supervision of the Central Bureau of Narcotics in accordance with the provisions in this regard,
but had not similarly ploughed back their entire poppy crop during 2021-22.
(v) Cultivators who were eligible for a license for the crop year 2023-24, but did not obtain a license for any
reason, or who after having obtained a license, did not actually cultivate opium poppy due to any reason.
(vi) Cultivators whose appeal against refusal of License has been allowed after the last date of settlement in the
crop year 2023-24.
(vii) Cultivators who were de-licensed on the ground of charge/ charges in any competent court for any offence
under NDPS Act, 1985 and the Rules made there under since 1995-96 provided that they have been acquitted
by the competent court of Law in said case/ cases and such order/orders of acquittal has become final as on
31st July 2024, subject to production of certified copy of judgment and declaration to this effect.
(viii) Cultivator who is nominated by deceased eligible cultivator in column No. 11 in Form No. 1 (see rule 7) for
the crop year 2023-24.
(ix) One of legal heirs of deceased eligible cultivators as determined by the District Opium Officer after
following the due process, in the cases where nomination in Form No.1 is not made for any reason or
nomination of person not falling under definition of family members/ blood relatives in Form No. 1 is made.
(x) Cultivators including their legal heirs who were ever licensed since crop year 1995-96 onwards but have
not been issued licenses due to any reason.
(xi) Cultivators including their legal heirs who were de-licensed since crop year 1995-96 till 1997-98 and
tendered MQY more than 25 Kg/ Hect.
3. Conditions of License
No cultivator shall be eligible for cultivation unless he/she satisfies that:
(i) He/ she did not, in the course of actual cultivation, exceeded the area licensed for poppy cultivation during
the crop year 2023-24 beyond the 5% 'Condonable Limit' allowed in the licensing policy.
(ii) He/ she did not at any time resort to illicit cultivation of opium poppy and was not charged in any competent
court for any offence under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and the Rules made
there under provided they have not been acquitted by the competent court of law latest by 31st July 2024.
(iii) He/she did not, during the crop year 2023-24, violate any departmental instructions issued by the Central
Bureau of Narcotics/ Narcotics Commissioner to the cultivators.
4. Maximum Area
(i) All eligible cultivators under clause 2 above will be issued license of 0.10 Hectares each and in one plot
only. This plot may be spread across more than one revenue Khasra numbers.
(ii) Cultivators will be permitted to take on lease, land belonging to others, to make up the licensed area, if they
so desire.
5. Period of license
(i) the cultivators who have become eligible to cultivate opium poppy for production of Poppy Straw from
which no juice is extracted through lancing for the first time in this policy, licenses will be issued to them
for five crop years, i.e. license issued to cultivators for crop year 2024-25 will remain effective till crop year
2028-29.
(ii) License issued for five years will remain in force for the given period until the cultivator;
a. is found involved in illicit activities,
b. is charge sheeted under NDPS act,
c. violated the departmental instructions related to opium poppy cultivation.
d. voluntarily surrendered his/her license before the concerned District Opium Officer
6. Forewarning
(i) Morphine content of Un-lanced Poppy Straw tendered during 2024-25 may become the basis for payment
for the crop year 2024-25, if the Government decides to do so in this regard.
(ii) Cultivators who fully ploughed back their entire poppy crop for consecutive three crop years would not be
entitled for license in the next crop year.
(iii) An Average yield on 800 Kg per hectare of un-lanced poppy capsule alongwith straw should be achieved
during the crop year 2024-25 to become eligible for a license to cultivate opium poppy in the following year
i.e.2025-26.
7. Condonable Limit:
If the area actually cultivated is up to 5% in excess of the licensed area, such excess cultivation may be condoned.
8. Miscellaneous
(i) The cultivators who are becoming eligible for issue of license under this year policy for opium poppy
cultivation and are not holder of five year license, for production of Unlanced Poppy Straw during the
Crop Year 2024-25 shall provide in the Application Form No. 1, the details of owner of the plot, survey
number etc. of the plot in which they are intending to cultivate opium poppy crop as well as any other
details as may be suitably and reasonably notified by the Narcotics Commissioner.
(ii) These General Licensing conditions are without prejudice to the right of the Narcotics Commissioner/
Deputy Narcotics Commissioner to issue/ withhold a license whenever it is deemed proper so to do in
accordance with the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and the Rules
made thereunder.
(iii) The license will be subject to the condition that any field may be taken over for any research or for
obtaining poppy straw that may be conducted by the Government directly or in collaboration with any
specialized Institution or Agency. The cultivator whose field is selected for research shall be considered
for license for the next year if otherwise eligible. The area taken over for research will not be taken into
account while calculating the yield.
(iv) Payment to the cultivators who have tendered their produced un-lanced poppy straw to the government
shall be made in accordance with the price per Kgs. of un-lanced poppy straw as determined by the
Government of India.
(v) In respect of cultivators having opium cultivation license in a particular village but are having residence
in adjacent village, such cultivators may be allowed to store Un-lanced Poppy Straw in their residence,
provided that there is continuous human settlement between such villages.
(vi) The name of eligible cultivators will be uploaded on CBN website(cbn.nic.in) and/or CBN online portal
(cbnonline.nic.in) and may be communicated through other means like messages on given mobile number,
mails etc. The cultivators listed in the eligibility list shall apply through online mode on CBN Online Portal
for obtaining license within the stipulated timeline.
(vii) Existing licensees shall not be required to submit paper for which information is already with CBN.
Information will be provided in case of any change from previous year.
(viii) If there is difference in any para of Hindi version of opium policy 2024-25 then English version of same
shall be followed.
[F. No. N-14011/01/2024-NC-1]
RAM LAKHAN, Under Secy.
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