The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare held a National Workshop on pulse crops under the “Rashtriya Dalhan Atmanirbharata Mission,” chaired by Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan today in Amlaha, Sehore, Madhya Pradesh.
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Energy, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, participated in the workshop and highlighted agricultural developments in Odisha.
During the workshop, Union Minister Chouhan emphasised that the Dalhan Atmanirbharata Mission aims to achieve self-reliance for the country and enhance the welfare of farmers. He expressed that relying on imported pulses is a matter of shame and that the mission is not only focused on increasing pulse production but also on empowering our farmers.
Deputy CM KV Singh Deo pointed out Odisha’s ongoing efforts to empower farmers, noting that the state’s agricultural sector has been undergoing significant growth and transformation. This progress is driven by strategic policy initiatives, technological advancements, and the adoption of climate-resilient agricultural practices.
Odisha is providing input assistance to farmers for paddy cultivation while simultaneously implementing the Comprehensive Project on Rice Fallow Management (CRFM). This flagship initiative of the state government aims to convert extensive rice fallow lands into productive areas that grow short-duration pulses and oilseeds during the Rabi season. Notably, in Rabi 2025-26, 3.5 lakh hectares of demonstrations have been planned across all districts of the state.
With all these progressive measures, Odisha is poised to become a developmental hub for agriculture among the Purvodaya States, Singh Deo added.
Agriculture Ministers from various other states, along with Dr Pravat Kumar Roul, Vice-Chancellor of OUAT from Odisha, and representatives from ICAR and ICARDA, also attended the workshop.
