Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment, KV Singh Deo, called on agricultural machinery manufacturers to establish local sales and repair centers across Odisha to meet the needs of the state’s small and micro-farmers. At a meeting held at the Krushi Bhavan Auditorium, Singh Deo emphasized the importance of these centers, saying they would provide immediate repair services, essential for the timely upkeep of farm equipment.
The meeting, which brought together manufacturers from both within and outside the state, highlighted the need for specialized machinery designed for local farming conditions. Singh Deo also announced that the annual Krushi Jantrapati Mela (Agricultural Machinery Fair) will now be held regionally across cities like Berhampur, Balangir, Jaipur, Keonjhar, and Jeypore, as well as at district and sub-district levels. This move aims to make advanced machinery more accessible to farmers in rural areas.
Singh Deo suggested that machinery could be supplied on a rental basis to benefit multiple farmers, encouraging the promotion of locally-made equipment to further support Odisha’s residents and agricultural community. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing necessary incentives to make this a reality.
Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary of the Agriculture Department, underscored the importance of transparency in the machinery distribution process. He assured zero tolerance for corruption, with subsidies being provided to eligible farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) via an online system.
Padhee also noted Odisha’s efforts to boost agricultural productivity, revealing that the state currently supplies 2.76 kilowatts of electricity per hectare for agricultural use, with a target of increasing this to 4 KW per hectare by 2030.
Director of Agriculture, Prem Chandra Chaudhary, and Chief Engineer, Muktikant Mohapatra, further elaborated on the procedures for applying for machinery and subsidies during the meeting, ensuring that farmers understand how to benefit from the state’s schemes.