Bhubaneswar: The State’s efforts to promote scientific land management received a major boost today as Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo flagged off the Land Resource Inventory (LRI) Van at Krushi Bhavan. The initiative marks the beginning of the month-long LRI Yatra under the REWARD pilot project, aimed at taking land science directly to farmers across Odisha.
The Yatra will cover several Gram Panchayats across five districts—Nayagarh, Koraput, Sambalpur, Dhenkanal, and Deogarh. In total, 8 Gram Panchayats in Deogarh, 14 in Dhenkanal, 16 in Koraput, 19 in Nayagarh, and 22 in Sambalpur will be reached through specially designed LRI Raths that set out today.
Addressing farmers and officials during the flag-off, the Deputy Chief Minister emphasised that the LRI Cards generated from the Land Resource Inventory database will empower farmers with scientific insights about their land. He said the cards will help farmers understand land suitability, appropriate crop choices, soil-related issues, and recommended treatments for sustainable cultivation.
According to the Deputy Chief Minister, the detailed information contained in the cards—including physical and chemical properties of soil—will support informed decision-making on fertilizer use, crop planning, soil conservation, and water management. The outreach initiative will also educate farmers about the importance and effective use of the LRI Cards prepared by the Directorate of Soil Conservation & Watershed Development under the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment.
As part of the month-long programme, several activities have been planned across the micro-watersheds. These include Bhoomi Pujan for new works, the organisation of LRI Mahotsavs, Shramadan drives, Pani Ki Pathshala awareness sessions, and inauguration of completed watershed interventions. The broader aim is to strengthen grassroots understanding of scientific watershed management.
Agriculture Secretary Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee informed that farmers who have already benefited from using the LRI Card data will be felicitated during the Yatra. To build awareness among students, quiz competitions on soil conservation and watershed concepts will be held in schools at the Panchayat level.
The movement and activities of the LRI Raths will be monitored through the MIS mobile application to ensure effective implementation. Officials expressed confidence that wider adoption of LRI Cards will enhance crop productivity, improve soil and water conservation, and contribute to the holistic development of watershed areas.
