ROURKELA: Since 2020, the efforts to expand Odisha Millets Mission (OMM) to seven new blocks of the tribal-dominated Sundargarh district have cost the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) of Rs 27.47 crore. Of the total funding, a whopping share has been spent on promotion and publicity of millet farming with the administration patting its own back over OMM’s success.
The OMM was first launched in 2018 in four blocks of Rajgangpur, Kutra, Nuagaon and Kuarnmunda under the State Plan with the funding provision of Rs 11.36 crore from the Directorate of Agriculture and Food Production over a period of five years. It was announced that the rest 13 blocks of the district would be covered under OMM gradually.
In 2020, the administration introduced OMM in four new blocks of Hemgir, Lefripada, Balishankara and Tangarpali with funds from DMF but the five-year budget increased to Rs 15.62 crore, a difference of Rs 4.26 crore for same programme and components of the State Plan. Besides, in 2021, the OMM was further extended to three more blocks of Gurundia, Lahunipada and Lathikata with five-year expenditure provisions of Rs 11.85 crore from DMF.
What was the reason for this massive cost variation?
Sources associated with the OMM claimed that since the State Plan has limited financial provisions for innovation and research, the DMF-sponsored blocks are given extra monetary support.
In Sundargarh, DMF projects are known to consume extra funds and not surprisingly, the budget for OMM in seven new blocks have been increased on the suggestions of research partner Nabakrushna Chaudhary Centre for Development Studies (Bhubaneswar) and technical partner Watershed Support Services and Activities Networks (Hyderabad).
In 2021-22, the millets cultivation target under OMM has been expanded to 5,436 hectare (ha) with anticipated production of around 43,500 quintals, which is eight quintal per ha. In ideal condition, per hectare production should be 12-15 quintal.
Contacted, chief district agriculture officer RC Nayak said an attempt has been made from DMF to break away from the conventional millets cultivation with innovation and research to enhance crop yield of different varieties, ensure value-addition and setting up of 81 special kiosks to sell delicacies made from millets and provide livelihood to members of women self-help groups.
Sources said, achievement in millets cultivation remains to be seen and how the kiosk initiative fares in future. Amid increased call for CAG audit in DMF projects in Sundargarh, local MP Jual Oram said the role of DMF members is confined to giving in-principal approval. Oram is a member of DMF in Sundargarh. The district Collector and chairman-cum-managing trustee of DMF is responsible for execution of projects.