Chandigarh, November 6
Haryana Health Minister Arti Singh Rao said the State Government is fully committed to ensuring the availability of safe and quality medicines to citizens and is taking sustained action in this regard. She said that the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Department has been directed to take stringent action against those involved in the manufacture and sale of counterfeit medicines.
A spokesperson of the Food and Drugs Administration Department said that, acting on the directions of the Health Minister, the Drug Wing conducted an extensive inspection drive from April 1 to September 30, 2026. During this period, a total of 13,590 drug sale units and 423 manufacturing units were inspected. Following the detection of regulatory violations and irregularities, 966 drug sale licences and 12 manufacturing/blood centre licences were suspended. In addition, 15 licences were cancelled completely, while five were partially cancelled.
The spokesperson said that, as part of efforts to strengthen quality control, 2,389 samples were collected during the period, of which 2,189 have been tested. Of these, 11 samples were found to be substandard.
The spokesperson further said that the Department initiated prosecution in 64 cases against those found violating the prescribed regulations. Meanwhile, 15 cases pending before various courts were disposed of, resulting in convictions in eight cases and acquittals in seven. At present, 462 cases remain pending before the courts.
In addition, 376 joint raids were conducted by police and FDA officials, leading to the registration of two First Information Reports (FIRs) under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and four FIRs under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act.
Highlighting major enforcement actions, the spokesperson said that in April 2026, an FDA team seized counterfeit Mounjaro injections, used for weight management and diabetes treatment, valued at approximately Rs 70 lakh. Similarly, in July 2026, the FDA team in Gurugram busted an interstate racket involved in the manufacture and sale of counterfeit Telma-AM, a medicine used to treat high blood pressure.
In another significant operation on July 28, 2026, the FDA team in Faridabad, acting on a complaint, seized a large consignment of counterfeit propylene glycol. The spokesperson further said that, as part of efforts to strengthen regulatory compliance and promote healthcare standards, the Department issued 2,675 retail/wholesale drug sale licences and 20 manufacturing licences. In addition, 14 medical institutions were granted recognition, while two manufacturing units were upgraded to World Health Organization–Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO-GMP) standards.
Arti Singh Rao assured the people of Haryana that the State Government is pursuing a zero-tolerance policy against unscrupulous elements who endanger public health. She asserted that no compromise would be made on the quality of medicines available in the market.
The Minister reiterated that ensuring the availability of genuine, safe and high-quality medicines to every citizen of Haryana remains the State Government’s highest priority. She said that the enforcement drive against counterfeit and substandard medicines would continue with the same rigour in the coming days.
