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Bhubaneswar: On the eve of Odisha’s agrarian festival Nuakhai, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday disbursed Rs 1,041 crore to over 51 lakh small, marginal and landless farmers under the CM-Kisan scheme, reaffirming the govt’s commitment to farmer-centric governance. Calling farmers the state’s “greatest investment”, Majhi said the welfare of cultivators remains central to Odisha’s development vision. The disbursement, made via direct benefit transfer (DBT), marks the third instalment of CM-Kisan assistance for the rabi 2025–26 season, and was announced at a state-level event held in the city. The CM also inaugurated a Krushak Bhavan and a reception house at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), built at a cost of Rs 59 crore, and declared that the farmer registration window for paddy procurement, which was Aug 25, would soon be extended. Majhi noted that the CM-Kisan scheme has added Rs 38,000 annually to the income of registered farmers. With additional support from the Subhadra Yojana and PM-Kisan, the total income boost touches Rs 58,000 per year. “Nearly every Subhadra beneficiary belongs to a farming family. State’s progress is impossible without the advancement of farmers,” he said. The CM also highlighted the success of the Samruddha Krushak Yojana, which guarantees Rs 3,100 per quintal for paddy and has led to a record procurement of 9.26 million metric tonnes. Over 1.8 million farmers have registered under the scheme this year.Beyond direct cash transfers, the govt is expanding support for allied agricultural activities. Landless families receive Rs 12,500 in three instalments for goat, poultry, duck rearing, mushroom cultivation and beekeeping. Cold storage infrastructure is being strengthened through private participation, with subsidies up to Rs 1 crore offered to young agri-entrepreneurs under the CM Agricultural Entrepreneurship scheme. In 2024-25 financial year, 1,406 projects received Rs 188.34 crore in subsidies.Majhi also emphasised the role of crop protection schemes like PM Fasal Bima Yojana and crop diversification systems, especially in the face of climate change and erratic monsoons. Odisha’s push for self-reliance in potato production has reached 3,115 clusters, engaging over 1 lakh farmers. The govt is also investing in the next generation of farmers. Under the agricultural scholarship scheme, children of CM-Kisan beneficiaries studying in premier institutes like IIT, NIT, IIM, AIIMS and ICAR received Rs 53.69 crore in scholarships last year. Deputy CM K V Singh Deo and fisheries and animal resources development minister Gokulananda Mallik echoed the CM’s sentiments, stressing that agriculture and allied sectors are key to rural prosperity. Mallik highlighted the success of schemes like Kamadhenu, which have transformed dairy farming into a viable livelihood.
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