Bhubaneswar: No new liquor shops will be opened in Odisha for the next three years under the new excise policy, announced Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
The Chief Minister made this announcement while attending the public awareness programme ‘Jiban Jindabad-2.0’ organised by the Commissionerate Police at the local Railway Auditorium.
On the occasion, he also inaugurated a special website of the Commissionerate Police related to ‘Nisha Mukta Bharat’ (Drug-Free India) and issued a strong call to completely eradicate drug addiction from the state.
Highlighting the destructive impact of addiction, Majhi said that drugs not only ruin an individual’s life but also destroy the entire family and society. He reaffirmed that the state government continues to follow a strict ‘zero-tolerance’ policy against narcotics.
Describing human life as a precious gift from God, the Chief Minister said that true living means facing all obstacles and failures and moving forward. He noted that the ‘Jiban Jindabad’ campaign launched last year had achieved significant success in reducing suicidal tendencies. The current ‘Jiban Jindabad 2.0’ is a broader effort to keep the youth away from drugs and channel their energy towards education, sports and creativity.
Renowned artists staged performances including the plays ‘Jiban Jindabad’, ‘Nisha Mukta Yuba Samaj Bikashita Bharat’ and the awareness drama ‘Bhuta Manishara Nishaku Na’. The Chief Minister highly appreciated these plays and dance performances, urging everyone to take the real lesson of cherishing life from them.
Expressing deep concern, Majhi said that substance abuse has become the main reason behind most heinous crimes and violence against women in the present scenario. He pointed out that nearly 2.60 to 2.80 lakh people die every year in the country due to alcohol consumption alone.
He admitted that it is extremely concerning that Odisha stands second in the list of people dying due to drunk driving. He has directed that the state’s police and excise administration will take even more stringent pro-active steps not only against alcohol, but also against high-risk drugs like ganja, opium, cocaine, heroin, brown sugar and synthetic drugs.
Citing various stringent measures taken by the state government, the Chief Minister informed that as per the new excise policy, no new liquor shops will be opened for the next three years from April 1. Along with this, the local administration has been made accountable for the trade of illicit and spurious liquor.
He directed the state police and excise administration to take even stricter proactive measures against high-risk drugs such as ganja, opium, cocaine, heroin, brown sugar and synthetic drugs, beyond just alcohol.
Referring to various firm steps taken by the state government, the Chief Minister said local administrations have been made accountable for illegal and spurious liquor trade. Production and sale of tobacco and nicotine-containing pan masala and gutkha have been completely banned, and school and college campuses have been declared ‘drug-free zones’.
Majhi firmly stated that the Odisha government is committed to fulfilling the deadline announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to make India completely drug-free by the end of 2029.
In his concluding remarks, the Chief Minister advised parents to treat any change in their children’s behaviour as a ‘red flag’. He described the growing preference among youth to spend money on protein and energy drinks instead of drugs as a ray of hope. He appealed to everyone to spread the message “No to addiction, Yes to life” and “Life is beautiful, Don’t destroy it” in every village and city to build a healthy, aware and prosperous Odisha.
Among those present at the programme were Director General of Police Vinaytosh Mishra, Police Commissioner S Dev Dutta Singh, other senior police officers, distinguished guests, and a large number of students and youth.
