Bhubaneswar: K V Singh Deo, the Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha and minister of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment (DA&FE) reviewed various agriculture schemes during a meeting at Krushi Bhavan. The meeting focused on key initiatives including the PM Kisan scheme, Digital Crop Survey, and the strategic priorities of the new government in the agriculture sector.
A significant highlight of the meeting was the unveiling of the “Knowledge Sharing for Effective Administration” (K-SEA) booklet by the Deputy Minister. The Principal Secretary Dr. Arabind Padhee affirmed that efforts would be made to disseminate the booklet widely among department officials and across other related departments for reference and guidance.
The session commenced with the Director of DA&FE providing an overview of the PM Kisan scheme, detailing its implementation status and challenges faced. Discussions centered on addressing discrepancies and taking stringent actions against any fraudulent activities under the scheme, as directed by the Hon’ble Deputy Minister.
Further discussions focused on the Digital Crop Survey, highlighting its success during the pilot phase in Kharif-2023. Plans were outlined to extend the survey to 30 districts of the state during the upcoming Kharif-2024 season, leveraging a newly developed mobile application and web portal for enhanced service delivery to farmers.
Acknowledging the priorities of the new government for the agriculture sector, the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister was briefed by the Principal Secretary on various successful initiatives, including the Odisha Millet Mission. Reflecting on his personal farming experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minister expressed his commitment to the welfare of farmers and lauded initiatives like Ama Krushi, which provides advisory services to farmers through a dedicated helpline.
Highlighting the importance of agriculture in the state’s economy, the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister emphasized the need to revitalize and promote agricultural activities to prevent rural-urban migration. He stressed collaboration among department officials to fulfill promises made to farmers and ensure effective implementation of agricultural schemes at the grassroots level.
“I am here to work as part of your team,” the Deputy CM affirmed, urging officials to work collectively to address farmer issues and advance the state’s agricultural agenda. The review meeting concluded with the Principal Secretary extending gratitude to the Deputy Chief Minister for his guidance and reaffirming the department’s commitment to achieving the vision set forth for Odisha’s agriculture sector.
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