Balangir: Affirming his government’s commitment to empowering farmers across Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday said concrete steps are being taken to give justice to the farming community ever since BJP came to power in the state one year ago.
Addressing a state-level ‘Krushak Shakti Samabesh’ in Balangir, the Chief Minister said one of the major promises during the elections was to ensure rightful returns for the hard work of lakhs of farmers across the state.
On Balangir’s growing political significance, the CM said two Ministers are now representing the district in the state cabinet. “Therefore, this is not just a double-engine but a triple-engine government. The district is now witnessing development at three times the earlier pace,” he said.
Describing farmers as the backbone of Odisha’s rural economy, Majhi said that by May this year, the state had distributed over 78,681 agricultural machines, and disbursed subsidies amounting to Rs 459.68 crore directly to farmers.
He emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji holds a deep respect for farmers, whom he refers to as the breadwinners.
The state government is committed to providing irrigation facilities for as many farmers’ lands as possible for the growth of the farm sector, the CM said, adding that the government has set an ambitious target of providing irrigation for 1.5 million hectares of unirrigated land over the next five years.
The Chief Minister said various farmer welfare measures implemented by the government have not only increased farmers’ income but also ushered in a new era of agricultural development in the state. The government continues its efforts for the sustainable development of this sector. This initiative is groundbreaking for the collective welfare of farmers and aims to boost income from the agricultural sector, aligning with the overall agricultural development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Chief Minister provided details about various agriculture-related initiatives being implemented in the state. Through the Shree Anna Abhiyan, the livelihoods of small and marginal farmers have been enhanced by reviving forgotten foods and employing nutritious, food-based farming methods. Currently, Millet Laddu is being served to students from nursery to class 10 in all government schools across the state.
Under the CM Kisan Yojana, each farmer is receiving financial assistance of Rs 4,000, which also extends to urban farmers. On the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, a total of 50.2 lakh small and marginal farmers, including 2,381 Particularly Underdeveloped (PVTG) farmers and 25,532 urban farmers, received financial aid totalling Rs 1,025 crore. The CM Kisan scheme is being linked with the ‘PM-Samman Nidhi’ program to provide additional financial support to farmers.
In a groundbreaking initiative to empower farmers’ families, the Krishi Vidyanidhi Yojana offers scholarship assistance for the higher education of farmers’ children. Additionally, chemical-free organic farming is being promoted through the Balabhadra Organic Farming Mission.
As part of the Amruta Anna Project, chemical-free, native fragrant rice produced in Odisha is being used in the Koth Bhog of Lord Jagannath. In the future, this rice will be utilised to prepare Mahaprasad in Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.
The Chief Minister asserted that the government has prioritised the empowerment of our farmers and has achieved significant success within just one year. As the goal is to build a prosperous Odisha by 2036 and a strong India by 2047, agriculture and the advancement of farmers will play a vital role in achieving these targets, the CM added.
Earlier, the Chief Minister faced a protest during his visit to Balangir when some Youth Congress workers tried to show black flags near Deogaon panchayat. The incident occurred about 100 metres from the Deogaon police station while the Chief Minister’s convoy was en route from Tusura Airstrip towards Balangir.
Two Youth Congress members, identified as Artta Ghibela and Bishal Das, waved black flags at the CM’s convoy near the Deogaon bus stand. Despite tight security arrangements by the administration for the Chief Minister’s visit, the protest took security officials by surprise.
Police detained six Congress workers as a precautionary measure.
