BHUBANESWAR: A day before the Nuakhai festival, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday released the third installment of CM KISAN assistance to over 51 lakh small, marginal and landless farmers.
Majhi disbursed Rs 1,041 crore to 51,54,115 farmers including 39,239 landless agricultural households, who constitute about 80 per cent of the total farmers of the state, through direct benefit transfer (DBT). Each small and marginal farmer received Rs 2,000, which will supplement their farming activities in the ongoing kharif operation.
Addressing a function organised by the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment department at OUAT campus, live-streamed to all the districts, the chief minister said his government has prioritised the welfare of farmers.
This single initiative has increased the annual income of registered farmers by at least Rs 38,000. “When combined with the Subhadra assistance of Rs 10,000 in a year and the PM and CM KISAN aid, the annual income of farmers has increased by at least Rs 58,000. This demonstrates the government’s commitment to double the income of farmers,” Majhi added.
He said that small and marginal farmers receive Rs 2,000 per crop season (Rs 4,000 annually) to purchase essential agricultural inputs. Landless agricultural households receive Rs 12,500 in three installments to support activities like goatery, poultry and duck rearing, mushroom cultivation and other allied agricultural activities.
Apart from the PM and CM KISAN, the input assistance of Rs 800 over and above the minimum support price of paddy has proved to be a big boost to the farmers and paddy productivity. A record paddy procurement of 92.63 lakh tonne in the 2024-25 kharif marketing season is a testament to the record growth in paddy production, the CM stated.
Emphasising the importance of crop diversification in the face of climate change and erratic monsoon, Majhi said the government is also focusing on potato cultivation. Last year, over 1.60 lakh quintals of certified potato seed were distributed across all districts, which was three times more than the previous year.
“It is also a matter of great delight that over 18 lakh farmers have registered under the Krushak Samruddhi Yojana this year to sell their surplus paddy to the government under MSP. I accept the proposal of deputy chief minister KV Singh Deo for further extension of the registration date so that no farmer is left out,” the CM said.
The CM also inaugurated a Krushak Bhawan and a reception centre at OUAT, which is constructed at a cost of Rs 59 crore. The function was attended by Singh Deo, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development minister Gokulananda Mallik, local MLA Babu Singh and OUAT vice-chancellor Pravat Kumar Roul among others.