How to Open a De-Addiction Centre in Punjab

Quick facts for Punjab

Why Punjab is different from every other state

Punjab was the first state in India to notify dedicated NDPS-linked rules for licensing private de-addiction centres, doing so in January 2011, years before most states had any framework. The reason is scale: Punjab sits at the epicentre of India's opioid crisis. NCB data consistently puts Punjab first for opium and heroin seizures. The National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use found Punjab had the highest estimated proportion of opioid users among all states.

That scale drove policy innovation. Punjab launched government OOAT clinics in 2017, dispensing buprenorphine-naloxone free at 547 government sites. It developed its own treatment protocols with PGI Chandigarh. It built a state-wide computerised patient registry at pddrc.in to prevent the same patient drawing medication from multiple centres. And the 2025 rules introduce structural limits on private centre ownership with no parallel anywhere else in India.

The consequence for anyone opening a centre: the regulatory environment is more detailed, more actively enforced, and more frequently revised than anywhere else in the country. Treat this guide as a map of what to verify, not a substitute for direct confirmation with the licensing authority.

The dual registration requirement: two tracks, both mandatory

In Punjab a private de-addiction or rehabilitation centre must clear two separate registration tracks.

Both are required for inpatient centres. Outpatient-only Category II centres may operate under the NDPS framework alone in practice, but confirm this with the SMHA since the MHCA definition of mental illness covers substance use disorder broadly.

Four categories of centre under the Punjab SUD Rules

Your category determines physical standards, staff norms, support services, and in Category II's case, the name in which the licence is issued.

Physical standards: indoor centres (I, III, IV)

• One bed per patient, adequate spacing, proper ventilation, pollution-free environment
• Potable drinking water and running water for washing, bathing and cleaning
• Clean sanitation: adequate bathrooms, toilets and sinks
• Clean bed linen, personal hygiene articles and utensils for each patient
• Fresh, nutritious and adequate meals for admitted patients
• Adequate recreational facilities
• Reception and registration counter with waiting space for at least 5 persons
• Separate cubicle for individual counselling, group therapy and family counselling
• Secure record storage with easy retrieval
• Educational material in local language prominently displayed
• No patients in basement areas
• Prominent signboard in local language showing doctor names with registration numbers, fee structure, timings and services

Category IV additionally needs 500 sq yards minimum, with library, gym, indoor and outdoor games, and facilities for patients to communicate with their families.

Physical standards: outpatient-only (Category II)

• Doctor room(s) of at least 100 sq ft each
• Dispensing room with sufficient storage
• Counselling room if a separate counsellor is employed
• Waiting area with drinking water and rest room if OPD exceeds 50 per day
• 2 emergency beds
• Prominent signboard showing doctor names, registration numbers, fee structure, timings and services

Staff norms by category

Minimum requirements under the 2020 amendment rules. Confirm current norms under the 2025 rules via pddrc.in.

OOAT-specific requirements for centres dispensing buprenorphine-naloxone

These requirements from the PDDRC SOP apply to any centre dispensing BNX, principally Category II and combined Category I centres.

Patient registration and UID

• Every new patient assigned a unique ID number at registration
• Patient's Aadhaar number or mobile number linked to their UID
• Centre's registry linked to the state central registry at pddrc.in, to prevent one patient drawing from multiple centres
• Biometric attendance mandatory before each dispensing (2025 rules)

Assessment before starting OOAT

• Opioid dependence formally established and documented; urine screening for opioids mandatory
• Written informed consent obtained before starting buprenorphine (Annexure-A of PDDRC SOP)
• Contraindications checked: under 18, high-dose sedatives or alcohol co-use, known hypersensitivity, severe respiratory or hepatic impairment
• Patients suspected of IV opioid use screened for HIV, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, TB and STIs; positive results shared with the Civil Surgeon of the district

Dispensing rules

• Only fixed-dose sublingual buprenorphine-naloxone combination (not plain buprenorphine, not injectable, not transdermal)
• BNX dispensed by pharmacist or nursing staff in the same or adjacent room to the prescribing doctor
• Initial take-home: 3 to 5 days; after three consecutive visits, up to 7 days
• Maximum take-home under any circumstance: 14 days or 100 tablets, whichever is less
• Each tablet documented in the patient's treatment card, case file and dispensing register

Treatment phases

• Induction: confirm dependence, get consent, start BNX; first follow-up at 5 days, second at 7 days
• Stabilisation (first 3 months): clinical and psychosocial follow-up every 14 days; BNX dispensed for up to 14 days per visit
• Maintenance (after 3 consecutive negative urine screens): monthly follow-up; BNX up to 14 days or 100 tablets per visit
• If a patient misses follow-up by more than 10 days, induction phase restarts

Contraindications for BNX

• Unconfirmed or undocumented opioid dependence
• Patient under 18 years
• Concomitant high-dose sedatives or active alcohol use
• Known hypersensitivity to buprenorphine or naloxone
• Severe respiratory or hepatic impairment
• Low-potency opioids (bhukki, doda, low-quality opium, codeine syrups) as first-line unless specifically documented

Medicine supply and batch testing

• BNX supplied directly from manufacturer to licensed centre, bypassing wholesale and retail pharmacies
• Every batch must be tested at the State Food and Drug Testing Laboratory, Kharar, SAS Nagar, before dispensing
• No untested batch may be dispensed under any circumstance

Record-keeping: what the licence conditions require

Failure to enter data online at pddrc.in is grounds for immediate licence suspension and debarment of the psychiatrist. These are explicit licence conditions, not optional.

Step-by-step: opening a centre in Punjab

1. Decide your category before you look at premises. Category II needs the least physical space but issues the licence in the psychiatrist's name, which has continuity implications. Category I is more versatile but requires a full inpatient ward. Category IV needs 500 sq yards minimum and involves no opioid dispensing. Get this decision right before signing a lease.
2. Confirm the current procedure under the 2025 rules before applying. The portal remains pddrc.in. Call or visit DHFW Punjab Health-6 Branch to confirm whether the 2025 rules have updated forms, fees or inspection timelines. A PIL is pending in the High Court; the rules are in force but could change.
3. Secure your named psychiatrist before applying. For Categories I, II and III the licence is linked to a named psychiatrist. No patient may be seen or medication dispensed in their absence. The Punjab market is competitive; confirm this person before submitting your Form-I.
4. Build your premises to the category standard before the Civil Surgeon visits. The Civil Surgeon inspects before recommending a licence. Get the physical plant ready, then apply. Category II needs a 100 sq ft doctor room, a dispensing room, and 2 emergency beds. Category I needs a full inpatient ward. Category IV needs 500 sq yards with recreational infrastructure.
5. Apply online at pddrc.in in Form-I with the Demand Draft. The 2020 amendment fee was Rs 1,000. Confirm whether the 2025 rules have changed this. Form-I includes a mandatory statutory undertaking not to use solitary confinement, forced labour, beating, psychological torture or chaining.
6. Register simultaneously as a Mental Health Establishment with Punjab SMHA. Submit the Form B application under the Punjab State Mental Healthcare Rules 2019. Run both tracks in parallel so neither delays the other.
7. Set up the PDDRC registry linkage before your first OOAT patient. Your patient registry must be linked to pddrc.in and biometric attendance hardware installed and tested before you dispense medication. This is a precondition, not a post-opening task.
8. Procure BNX directly from the manufacturer and verify batch testing. BNX comes manufacturer-to-centre only. Before dispensing any batch, confirm it has been tested at the State Food and Drug Testing Laboratory, Kharar, SAS Nagar. Set up the Central Consumable Stock Register before the first delivery.
9. Confirm you are within the five-centre ownership cap. If you or any connected entity already holds five licences in Punjab, no further licence will be issued. Take legal advice if the ownership structure is complex before applying.
10. Register on the ABDM Health Facility Registry after your licence is in hand. Increasingly expected by inspecting authorities and referral networks.

The 2025 rules: what changed and why it matters

The Punjab SUD Rules 2025, notified 5 December 2025, are the most significant rewrite since the original 2011 rules, replacing both the 2011 rules and the 2020 amendment entirely.

Official government and reference links

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Punjab SUD Treatment and Counselling and Rehabilitation Centres Rules, 2011, Gazette Notification 16 January 2011
• Punjab SUD Rules (First Amendment), 2020, G.S.R. 69/C.A.61/1985/Ss.78 and 71/Amd.(1)/2020, Punjab Gazette 11 September 2020. Available via India Code.
• Punjab SUD Treatment, Counselling and Rehabilitation Centres Rules, 2025, notified 5 December 2025
• Standard Operating Procedure for Private Centres, Department of Health and Family Welfare Punjab (pddrc.in)
• Punjab State Mental Healthcare Rules, 2019
• Basu D, Awasthi A, Standard Treatment Guidelines for Opioid Assisted Treatment, PGI Chandigarh, 2014-15
• Basu D et al., "Strategy for the management of SUD in the State of Punjab: the Punjab model", PMC4314925
• Tribune India: "Now, private entities can run up to five de-addiction centres" (October 2025); "Punjab's 2025 de-addiction rules under HC lens" (February 2026)
• The Print: "Punjab's war on drugs fell victim to abuse. 8 years on, an overhaul begins" (November 2025)
• News on Air: "Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann chairs meeting approving key urban and health regulations" (October 2025)
• CAG compliance audit of Punjab de-addiction centres, 2013-2016