Bhubaneswar: In the last seven financial years, Odisha has managed to resolve only a fraction of cases related to food adulteration, black marketing, and illegal supply of food items, Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra informed the state assembly on Wednesday.
Replying to a question by Jharsuguda MLA Tankadhar Tripathy, the minister said that between 2019-20 and 2025-26, a total of 386 cases were registered under the Food Safety Act. Of these, only 38 cases have been resolved so far, accounting for 9.8%, while the remaining 348 cases are still under trial. He added that punishments have been imposed in all the resolved cases.
The minister further revealed that authorities have collected a total of Rs 46.25 lakh in fines from offenders between 2020 and February 2026, highlighting the financial penalties imposed for food safety violations.
Patra also stressed that the government is taking stringent measures to curb food adulteration and illegal marketing, including regular inspections, awareness campaigns, and stricter enforcement of the law.
