Odisha Govt Proposes ‘Amruta Anna’ Project for Organic Rice in Shree Mandira Mahaprasad

Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards promoting organic farming and ensuring chemical-free Mahaprasad at Shree Jagannath Temple, a consultation meeting was held at Krushi Bhavan Conference Hall under the chairmanship of Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Chief Administrator of Shree Mandira and Principal Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment Department. The meeting focused on the introduction of organic rice in the preparation of Mahaprasad and the launch of a special project named ‘Amruta Anna’.

The initiative has received strong support from the Suar-Mahasuar community and the Shree Mandira administration. In the initial phase, organic rice will be used in Kotha Bhoga, followed by its inclusion in the Bhoga offered during Shree Gundicha Rathayatra. A dedicated counter will be set up at Ananda Bazaar to serve Mahaprasad prepared from organically grown rice and vegetables.

As part of the Amruta Anna project, indigenous rice varieties like Kalajeera, Pimpudibasa, and Jubaraja, grown in Odisha, will be used. Notably, Kalajeera rice, which has a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, is currently cultivated on 1,365 acres in Koraput, with the state’s first dedicated Kalajeera Mandi recently established in Kotpad. The government plans to provide organic certification and subsidies to encourage farmers to transition to organic cultivation.

To streamline the implementation, a steering committee will be formed, comprising representatives from the Shree Mandira administration, Suar-Mahasuar community, producer groups, NGOs, and government officials. Initially, organic rice farming will cover 100-200 acres, with the goal of expanding production in the future. Traditional organic practices using cow urine, cow dung, and natural fertilizers will also be promoted to support sustainable agriculture and livestock welfare in the state.

The consultation meeting saw active participation from Agriculture Director Prem Chandra Chaudhary, OUAT Dean Prof. Prasannajit Mishra, Puri District Collector Siddhartha Shankar Swain, SJTA administrators Jitendra Kumar Sahu, Debabrata Sahu, and Sudhakar Patnayak, along with representatives of organic farming groups, self-help groups, and experts from the Rajendra Indigenous Rice Research Institute and Koraput Pragati Institute.