Bolangir witnessed a historic gathering as Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi addressed the State-Level Krushak Shakti Samabesh, celebrating a year of governance with a strong focus on farmer empowerment.
Reaffirming electoral promises, the CM emphasised the government’s commitment to agriculture, ensuring that farmer brothers and sisters receive both value and respect for their hard work. He highlighted technological advancements in farming and the accelerated pace of development in Bolangir, dubbing it a “triple engine government” for its transformative efforts.
In his speech, the Chief Minister highlighted that our country is admired worldwide for its unique agricultural system. More than 60 per cent of the people in our state depend on agriculture and related activities. As of May, 78,681 agricultural machines have been supplied, and a total discount of Rs. 459.68 crore has been provided through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The esteemed Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi Ji, holds a deep respect for our nation’s farmers, whom he refers to as the breadwinners. He has urged everyone to contribute to the agricultural sector and make it the backbone of the economy.
To advance agriculture in the state, we are committed to providing irrigation facilities for as many farmers’ lands as possible. We have set an ambitious target of providing irrigation for 1.5 million hectares of unirrigated land over the next five years.
The Chief Minister mentioned that various farmer welfare measures implemented by our government have not only increased farmers’ incomes but also ushered in a new era of agricultural development in the state. The government continues its efforts for the sustainable development of this sector. Recently, the “Developed Agriculture Sankalp Abhiyan” commenced in Sakhi Gopal, Puri, running from May 29th to June 12th across the nation. This initiative is groundbreaking for the collective welfare of farmers and aims to boost income from the agricultural sector, aligning with the overall agricultural development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Chief Minister provided details about various agriculture-related initiatives being implemented in the state. Through the Shree Anna Abhiyan, the livelihoods of small and marginal farmers have been enhanced by reviving forgotten foods and employing nutritious, food-based farming methods. Currently, Millet Laddu is being served to students from nursery to class 10 in all government schools across the state.
Under the CM Kisan Yojana, each farmer is receiving financial assistance of Rs 4,000, which also extends to urban farmers. On the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, a total of 50 lakh and 2 thousand small and marginal farmers, including 2,381 Particularly Underdeveloped (PVTG) farmers and 25,532 urban farmers, received financial aid totalling Rs 1,025 crore. The CM Kisan scheme is being linked with the ‘PM-Samman Nidhi’ program to provide additional financial support to farmers.
In a groundbreaking initiative to empower farmers’ families, the Krishi Vidyanidhi Yojana offers scholarship assistance for the higher education of farmers’ children. Additionally, chemical-free organic farming is being promoted through the Balabhadra Organic Farming Mission.
As part of the Amrut Anna Project, chemical-free, native fragrant rice produced in Odisha is being used in the Koth Bhog of Lord Jagannath. In the future, this rice will be utilised to prepare the entire Maha Prasad.
Finally, he stated that our government has prioritised the empowerment of our farmers and has achieved significant success within just one year. One of our main promises during the elections was to ensure that the hard work of lakhs of farmers in the state is recognised and fairly compensated. We have set an ambitious goal of building a prosperous Odisha by 2036. The Honourable Prime Minister has also called for the development of a strong India by 2047. Agriculture and the advancement of farmers will play a vital role in achieving these goals for both the state and the nation.
During the event, the Chief Minister recognised the successful farmers and encouraged them to adopt all available technologies to enhance their farming activities. The program was attended by Bargarh MP Pradip Purohit, Titlagarh MLA Nabin Kumar Jain, Kantabanji MLA Laxman Bag, and Uttaranchal Revenue Commissioner Sachin Ramchandra Yadav.
Bolangir MP Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo delivered the welcome speech, while District Collector Gaurav Shivaji Isalwar expressed gratitude to the participants.
