Jharkhand readies AI portal to monitor sales of medicines misused as drugs

The Jharkhand Drug Control Department and the Jharkhand unit of the National Informatics Centre (NIC) have completed an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled portal to monitor medicine transactions. It is awaiting launch as of 4 November 2026.

Tracking sales and suspicious activity

The portal is designed to record medicine transactions across the drug supply chain, from manufacturers and wholesalers to medical stores and patients. Its AI-based system will flag unusually large purchases by a store and other suspicious sales activity, allowing the department to examine transaction and use patterns.

Members of the public will be able to report suspected sales or use of medicines for intoxication. The portal is also intended to monitor medicine quality and misleading claims, including claims that a medicine can cure serious illness. The department may take action under applicable rules if such claims are confirmed. Other states’ drug control departments and related agencies may also use the portal. The department describes it as India’s first portal specifically designed to monitor medicine misuse.

Important Facts for Exams

• NIC’s government IT remit: The National Informatics Centre is a MeitY department that provides IT infrastructure and services to central and state government departments.
• Classifier screening: AI classifiers use pattern matching to select the closest match and can be fine-tuned on chosen examples through supervised learning.
• Supply-chain information flows: Supply chains include information and financial flows alongside the product or service being supplied.