BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Wednesday launched e-Chasa app and portal to promote digital survey in agriculture to facilitate crop production and processing.
Launching the app and portal at the research plot of agronomy, Odisha University and Technology (OAUT) here, deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Farmers and Farmers’ Empowerment Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said the digital crop survey programme will promote robust farmer policies and provide accurate data on crops grown in remote and inaccessible hilly areas.
Odisha is the first state to adopt digital survey policy in the field of agriculture and around 48 lakh farmers will benefit due to the app and portal, he said.
The deputy chief minister said the e-Chasa app and portal is a decisive step in the field of agriculture. It will provide farmers a comprehensive and single window platform through which crop related data and information can be checked anytime and in any weather. He said the survey has already been tested on pilot basis in Bhadrak, Deogarh, Nuapada and Nayagarh districts in 2023. After successful survey of around 30 lakh plots, the programme has now been expanded to the whole of Odisha. Around three crore plots will be surveyed on 48 lakh hectare of agriculture land. For this, around 28,000 surveyors, 8,000 supervisors and 1,400 inspectors have been engaged, said principal secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Arabinda Padhee. He said farmers can get accurate information on digital crop survey, report their problems and get guidance through the app.
Director of Agriculture Premchandra Choudhary, OUAT vice chancellor Prabhat Kumar Raul, scientists, agriculturists and farmers were present.