Odisha Showcases Flagship Agri-Initiatives at National Kharif Conference in Delhi

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo represented the state at the Kharif Abhiyan 2025 during the National Conference on Agriculture, held at the Rashtriya Krishi Vigyan Kendra in New Delhi. The high-level event, chaired by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, brought together agriculture ministers from across the country to discuss preparations and strategies for the upcoming Kharif season.

Joining the Deputy CM was Odisha’s Principal Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, as the delegation highlighted the state’s innovative strides in the farm sector.

During his address, Singh Deo outlined Odisha’s progressive agricultural roadmap, spotlighting several key initiatives launched under the state government. He spoke in detail about the Samrudha Krushak Yojana, which provides an additional ₹800 per quintal to farmers over and above the Minimum Support Price (MSP), as a direct input assistance to enhance farm income.

He also highlighted major interventions such as the Cold Storage Policy, development of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) through Agricultural Production Clusters, and promotion of organic farming across 16,600 hectares in eight districts under the Balabhadra Jaivik Chasa Mission.

Emphasizing the state’s commitment to holistic rural welfare, the Deputy CM also shared achievements under the Krushi Vidyanidhi Yojana, which provides higher education assistance to farmers’ children, and the use of organically grown rice in the Amruta Anna Yojana for the Jagannath Temple in Puri.

In his remarks, Singh Deo also placed specific demands before the Union Ministry. These included:

• Support for pulses cultivation in rice fallow lands,
• Higher subsidies for oilseeds and natural farming expansion,
• Integration of PM-KISAN and CM-KISAN schemes, and
• A revision in the cost norms for farm gate units under the Horticulture Mission (MIDH), reducing it from ₹25 lakh to ₹6 lakh for broader access.

The Union Minister acknowledged the concerns raised by Odisha and assured that the Centre would actively consider these proposals in the spirit of cooperative federalism.

At the end of the session, the Odisha delegation submitted a detailed activity report from the State Agriculture Department, highlighting ongoing schemes, outcomes, and proposals for central collaboration.