Bhubaneswar: Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan informed the Odisha Assembly today that a total of 1346.65 quintal ganja and 124.992 kg brown sugar have been seized in the state in the last four years.
Replying to MLA Ramesh Chandra Behera’s query, Harichandan said that 42866 kg ganja and 32826 gram brown sugar were seized in 2022-23, 34640 kg ganja and 34425 gram brown sugar were seized in 2023-24, 34679 kg ganja and 28574 gram brown sugar were seized in 2024-25, and 22480 kg ganja and 29167 gram brown sugar were seized in 2025 upto November.
The minister said that the government has taken several steps to eradicate the trade, including regular raids by Excise Department officers, arresting suspects, and registering cases against them. Awareness programs, such as “Ama Sankalpa, Nisa Nuhen, Jiban”, workshops, and cultural events, are being organised to educate the public about the dangers of addiction.
The government also observes June 26th as International Day Against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking, and organises meetings in schools and colleges to create awareness about the ill effects of drug use.
