The opposition BJP and Congress on Wednesday blamed the policies of the BJD government for the increase in the number of liquor and drug users in the state. The allegation was leveled by opposition members in the state assembly while participating in a debate on the adjournment motion in Odisha on drugs and alcohol; Who will protect the poor women.
Dismissing the claims, the ruling BJD elaborated on the steps taken by the state government to curb the menace of drug and alcohol addiction. Initiating the debate, BJP’s opposition chief whip Mohan Manjhi accused the state government of adopting double standards on its policies. “The Chief Minister (Naveen Patnaik) has been claiming to be a staunch follower of Mahatma Gandhi’s ideologies. Then, how does his government encourage the sale of liquor in the state? How come the state is full of banned drugs and has become a hub of cannabis cultivation? Manjhi claimed that Odisha ranks third in the country in terms of drug use.
In the state, 31 per cent people in the age group of 10 to 75 years are addicted to alcohol or any other intoxicant, while 10.4 per cent of the total population is addicted to alcohol. On the other hand, smuggling of hemp and brown sugar is increasing in the state. Alleging unholy nexus between the officials and the excise criminals, Manjhi said the consumption of alcohol and drugs has pushed the future of the youth into darkness.
He informed that Rs 7,600 crore was collected as excise revenue in the financial year 2021-22, the state has set a target to generate Rs 8,500 crore from liquor in 2022-23. He claimed that the state government’s programs aimed at curbing the addiction of alcohol and other drugs among the youth had failed. Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati alleged that ganja trade was going on unabated in the state and it was possible because of the support of the ruling party leaders.
Congress Legislature Party leader Narsingh Mishra alleged that the use of liquor and narcotics is on the rise as the Excise Department is indulging in corruption. Defending the state government, Excise Minister Ashwini Patra said that consumption of alcohol and drugs affects the health, financial condition and wealth of the people. Keeping this in mind, every year on 26th June, awareness is being created at the district level across the state. He told the House that four excise intelligence agencies were working in the state to crack down on the mafia. Besides, there are teams at different levels that are working round the clock, Patra said.
He also said that for the first time drone surveys were conducted in cannabis growing districts. The minister said a total of 19,774.63 acres of hemp plantations grown on government and forest land worth Rs 3,29,14,032 were destroyed by the department.
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