CUTTACK: The state government is firmly committed to strengthening financial empowerment of farmers and making agriculture more profitable and modern, said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday.
Addressing a function after performing ‘Akhi Muthi Anukula’, a sacred agricultural ritual on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, at Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) here, the chief minister underlined that agriculture is the mainstay of Odisha’s economy, culture and prosperity.
He informed that for the 2026 kharif season, around Rs 838.48 crore has been provided to 41,68,582 farmers in the state under the CM-KISAN Yojana. As many as 41,24,241 small and marginal farmers, 41,049 landless farmers and 3,292 tribal farmers have benefitted through the financial assistance, he said.
“After the BJP government came to power in Odisha, the state’s agricultural growth has reached 5.3 per cent in just 22 months, which is higher than the national average. This year, the state has produced over 150 lakh metric tonne of foodgrains, thereby creating a new record,” Majhi said, congratulating farmers for this success.
He said the state government is purchasing paddy at Rs 3,100 per quintal to give fair price to the farmers for their hard work. In the 2025-26 kharif season, 76.47 lakh metric tonne of paddy has been procured from 18,55,661 farmers. An input assistance of Rs 5,589.98 crore has been extended to them, the CM added.
“The state government is promoting organic farming through the Balabhadra Organic Farming Mission. Similarly, Shri Anna Abhiyan is being intensified to take Odisha’s traditional mandia (millet) to the world stage,” Majhi said.
Through the Krishi Vidya Nidhi Yojana, assistance is being provided to children of farmer families for technical and vocational education. In the 2025-26 academic year, 68,910 students have received assistance of more than Rs 291.60 crore, he added.
Shedding light on the upcoming changes in the country’s agricultural sector under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chief minister informed that under the ‘Beej Se Bazar’ initiative, an integrated system has been developed from seed sourcing to market access.
“The prime minister’s dream is to include Indian agriculture and farmers in global competition. With the coordinated efforts of the central and state governments, the ‘double-engine’ development has been accelerated in Odisha,” Majhi said.
He said special emphasis is being given to provide better seeds, proper irrigation and market connectivity to increase the income of farmers. “Construction of cold storage and godowns in the state has been progressing through the Centre’s Agriculture Infrastructure Fund,” the CM said further expressing gratitude to the PM for including four tribal districts of Odisha - Kandhamal, Malkangiri, Sundargarh and Nuapada - in the PM Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana launched last year.
After performing the performed Akhi Muthi Anukula, the CM visited the agricultural exhibition at CRRI where he flagged off the ‘Ama Bihan Rath’ and ‘Krishi Rath’.
Majhi also launched the ‘Seeds on Wheels’ programme to provide improved seeds to farmers. These mobile seed sale centres will be run in 31 blocks of 10 districts in the first phase, making new varieties of rice seeds available at gram panchayat level in the form of five kg packets.
Attending the state-level Farmers’ Day function, deputy CM KV Singh Deo said the farming community is the backbone of the state’s economy. “The state government is always trying to protect farmers’ interest and make farming easier and transparent,” he said.
Among others, Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, Jagatsinghpur MP Bibhuprasad Tarai, Niali MLA Chhabi Mallik, Choudwar-Cuttack MLA Souvic Biswal, Banki MLA Devi Ranjan Tripathy, Sadar MLA Prakash Chandra Sethi, Barabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous, Mahanga MLA Sharda Prasad Pradhan, commissioner-cum-secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment department Sachin Ramachandra Yadav, and director, ICAR-CRRI, Cuttack GAK Kumar were present.