Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday disbursed Rs 697 crore to 34.85 lakh farmers under the 20th instalment of the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi scheme.
The event, organised by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment at ICAR-CIFA, saw Odisha celebrate “PM-Kisan Diwas” along with nationwide festivities led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi.
PM Modi transferred Rs 20,000 crore directly to the bank accounts of 9.7 crore farmers across India, marking a historic stride in supporting grassroots agriculture. Odisha alone received a significant Rs 697 crore allocation, with each eligible farmer receiving Rs 2,000 under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism, ensuring transparency and inclusion.
Addressing farmers, CM Majhi reaffirmed the government’s commitment to include every eligible beneficiary under the PM-KISAN scheme through saturation drives across all blocks. He emphasised diversification into profitable sectors like fishery and livestock to enhance rural livelihoods, aiming to multiply farmer incomes beyond the annual Rs 10,000 combined support from PM-KISAN and CM-KISAN schemes.
Odisha has also been awarded the prestigious “Agriculture Today” recognition for its innovations in farmer support. Deputy CM Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo highlighted input assistance of Rs 800 per quintal of paddy and procurement price hikes to Rs 3,100 per quintal, alongside over Rs 7,600 crore disbursed in previous crop cycles.
The program witnessed the presence of key dignitaries, including legislators, departmental secretaries, agricultural scientists, and district officials. Emphasis was laid on educating farmers about eligibility and encouraging the adoption of sustainable practices such as organic farming and oilseed cultivation for soil preservation.
CM Majhi concluded with a call to action: “Let us contribute to building a prosperous Odisha and a developed India,” reinforcing the role of farmers as pillars of national growth.
