Ahead of Nuakhai and on the occasion of Janmashtami, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday released the fifth instalment of the CM-KISAN scheme, transferring more than Rs 833 crore directly into the bank accounts of 41,35,978 small and marginal farmers and 13,949 landless agricultural families through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
The state-level programme was held at Krushi Shiksha Sadan of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) in Bhubaneswar. The assistance has been released ahead of the 2026-27 Rabi season to help farmers purchase seeds, fertilisers and pesticides.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said the government remains committed to the welfare of farmers and landless agricultural families. “The prosperity of farmers is the real foundation of Odisha’s progress. CM-KISAN is not merely financial assistance; it is due honour for the hard work of farmers,” he said.
He added that the scheme supports farmers at every stage — from buying agricultural inputs to allied livelihoods and quality technical education for their children.
Paddy procurement, flood relief and other announcements:
Majhi said paddy registration for the current 2026-27 Kharif season has been extended till September 7. He also announced a special assistance package of Rs 1,000 crore for farmers affected by recent floods in Mayurbhanj, Kendujhar, Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Kendrapada and Sundaragada. Compensation will be released on the basis of damage assessment reports of revenue and agriculture field staff.
Under the Samrudha Krushak Yojana, paddy is being procured at Rs 3,100 per quintal by combining the Centre’s MSP with state input assistance, with payment credited to farmers’ accounts within 48 hours of sale. In the 2025-26 Kharif season, 77.48 lakh metric tonnes of paddy were procured from 18.84 lakh farmers, and a record Rs 5,663.84 crore was paid as input subsidy. In the Rabi season, Rs 1,494.89 crore was given to 3.63 lakh farmers.
The Chief Minister said more than 60 per cent of the state’s population depends on agriculture and that doubling farmers’ annual income is a key goal of the government. Diversification, and not only traditional farming, will help achieve this, he said.
Education, millets and allied sectors:
Under the Krushi Vidyanidhi Yojana, scholarships of more than Rs 291.60 crore were given to 68,910 children of farmer families in 2025-26. Majhi advised farmers to register in the Farmers’ Registry with land details to access government benefits.
He said the government is giving special focus to animal husbandry, fishery, the Sri Anna Abhiyan (millet cultivation) and the National Pulse Mission. Last year, 6.92 lakh quintals of millets were procured at a minimum support price of Rs 4,886 per quintal. Under the agriculture industry scheme, a subsidy of up to Rs 1 crore is available.
Contrast with past and future challenges:
Criticising the previous government’s record, Majhi said that for nearly two and a half decades farmers’ monthly income remained very low. In 2022, the monthly income of an agricultural family in Odisha was only Rs 5,112 — the second lowest in the country after Jharkhand. Farmers then had little option but to continue cultivation despite hardship, he said.
The situation has changed after the new government took office, with paddy now being purchased at Rs 3,100 a quintal, he added. About 92 per cent of Odisha’s farmers are small and marginal, and he urged them to adopt government schemes to raise their earnings.
He also noted challenges such as climate change, irregular weather, water scarcity and soil erosion, and said the state is promoting organic farming, millet cultivation and regenerative agriculture. Odisha recorded high production of foodgrains, fruits and vegetables this year, and cotton produced in the state has been included in the country’s premium ‘Kasturi Cotton’ list.
Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said ministers and officials had visited flood-hit areas and that no eligible farmer would be left out of assistance. He also referred to a scheme under which farmers can buy vegetable mini-kits and receive reimbursement through DBT after submitting bills. He said adequate fertiliser is available in the state and asked farmers not to believe rumours of shortage.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said Odisha is the first state in the country to provide the highest subsidy to farmers. On the Chief Minister’s direction, unseasonal rain has been officially notified as a disaster so that affected farmers can receive government assistance.
Khordha MLA and District Planning Board Chairman Prasanta Kumar Jagadev attended as guest of honour. Senior officials including Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, Director of Agriculture and Food Production Shubham Saxena, Director of Horticulture Kalunge Gorakh Waman and OUAT Vice-Chancellor Dr Pravat Kumar Roul were present.
More than 750 farmers attended the programme in Bhubaneswar. Beneficiaries Shobha Majhi of Khordha and Jayakrushna Samantaray of Bolagada shared their experiences and thanked the Chief Minister.
The event was livestreamed to all 30 districts, where parallel programmes were held in the presence of ministers, MPs, MLAs, collectors, agriculture officials and farmers.
