Pop Goes The Seed

• The 1,140 tonnes of raw opium lying unprocessed in government factories will be put to use.
  
• Private pharma firms will invest in infrastructure for producing opium derivates like codeine and morphine which has high demand
  
• Will generate funds that the government can use to modernise its opium factories
  
• But there are fears privatisation may lead to more illicit cultivation of opium
  
• Unless there is strict vigilance, opium as well its derivatives like morphine could be diverted into the illegal market
  
• India has a lax record of monitoring pharma firms dealing in sensitive drugs

***