Budget’s agri focus to boost rural jobs, curb migration: Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

The credit limit for Kisan credit card holders has been increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. This will benefit 40 lakh Kisan credit card holders in the state,” he added.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan(File photo)
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BHUBANESWAR : Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday said Odisha will be the biggest beneficiary of the Union Budget-2025.

Odisha being an agriculture-based economy, will immensely benefit from the PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana aimed at covering 100 districts with low productivity, moderate crop intensity and below-average credit parameters. Many districts of Odisha will get special attention under the programme, he said.

The minister said the comprehensive multi-sectoral rural prosperity and resilience programme will generate ample opportunities in rural areas which will address the problem of migration from Odisha.

“Cotton Technology Mission will hugely benefit farmers in districts like Kalahandi, Balangir, Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada, Nuapada, Ganjam, Gajapati, Boudh, Sonepur and Bargarh. The credit limit for Kisan credit card holders has been increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. This will benefit 40 lakh Kisan credit card holders in the state,” he added.

Asserting that Odisha will get maximum benefit from the comprehensive programme for vegetables and fruits, Pradhan said it is a leading state in vegetable production and farmers will get a fair price for their produce.

The minister further said, airports at Jamadarpali in Sambalpur, Birsal in Dhenkanal, Rasgobindpur in Mayurbhanj, Rangeilunda in Ganjam and Raikala in Keonjhar are likely to be developed, increasing regional connectivity, under the modified UDAN scheme that will connect 120 new destinations.

“The proposed national framework to promote Global Capability Centres in emerging Tier-II cities will enable Odisha to set up such centres in cities like Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur, Balasore and Berhampur. Various cities of the state can be developed with the Urban Challenge Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore,” Pradhan said.

Ministers should have announced what special has been given to Odisha: BJD

Under the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 programmes, he said more than 36 lakh children, pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers of Odisha will be provided with nutritional assistance.

Lauding the National Critical Mineral Mission, a policy framework for the recovery of important and critical minerals for self-reliance, Pradhan said Odisha with highest iron ore and bauxite deposits, and a huge amount of mining waste generated during exploration will contribute significantly to the value chain and also promote research in critical mineral technologies.

He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman for providing a grant of `10,599 crore to Odisha in the railway sector.

Meanwhile, BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra on Monday demanded that Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw spell out the special provisions made for Odisha in the budget.

Referring to the views shared by ministers, Patra said one thing was clear from their statements that Odisha has got nothing special. Directing a question at Pradhan, Patra said he should specify what Odisha has received that the other states have not got in the two budgets.

The BJD MP said, “What Kerala has received, Odisha has received the same. What West Bengal has received, Odisha has received the same. This means that the states without BJP governments have received the same benefits. The BJP’s double-engine government in Odisha has given them the same benefits as the others.”

Addressing a media conference, BJD national spokesperson Amar Patnaik also said Odisha has received nothing from the double-engine government in the Union Budget.

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