Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, KV Singh Deo, presented a record budgetary demand of Rs 13,178.84 crore for the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment for the fiscal year 2024-25 in the Odisha Assembly on Thursday.
This allocation, nearly double of last year’s budget, underscores the government’s commitment to the state’s agricultural sector, which remains the largest employment generator in the state.
Highlighting the significance of agriculture in driving socioeconomic growth, Singh Deo noted that the state’s self-sufficiency in rice production has allowed the government to shift its focus towards ensuring “nutritional security.”
The comprehensive budget includes several key initiatives aimed at uplifting the farming community and enhancing agricultural productivity across the state.
Key programmes and their budget allocations include:
Samrudha Krushaka Yojana:
- Government will procure paddy from the farmers at Rs.3100/ per quintal, which is Rs. 800/- more than the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
- Rs. 5000.00 crore has been provisioned under this programme.
PM-KISAN:
- Farmers of both rural and urban areas, irrespective of land holdings to avail financial assistance.
- A saturation drive shall be taken from this Nuakhai (8th Sept’ 24) to include the left out beneficiaries.
CM-KISAN:
- Small and marginal farmers of the State shall be provided with financial assistance of Rs. 2,000/- each at the beginning of both Kharif and Rabi season.
- Further, landless agricultural households will also be assisted with Rs. 12,500/- in three installments.
- Rs. 1935.00 crore has been provisioned under this programme.
Krushi Bidhya Nidhi Yojana:
- Scholarship up to 2 lakh rupees to the children of Small & Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Labourers studying in Govt. institutions till Post Graduation.
Krushi Samrudhi Kendra:
To provide timely information and advice to the farmers at the Block level.
Krushi Samrudhi Helpline:
- Helpline No- 155333 has been designated for providing information on ongoing schemes and programs of the Department.
- More than 69 lakh farmers have been registered so far.
Shree Anna Abhiyan:
- Shree Anna Abhiyan will enhance millets production & consumption making Odisha as Millet Hub of India.
- It has been extended to 177 blocks of all 30 districts.
- Rs. 648.61 Crore has been allocated for 2024-25.
Cold Storage:
- As per commitment, a committee has already been formed under the Chairmanship of the Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment involving Secretaries of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise, Co-operation and Energy Department to form the plan of action on the proposed intervention and detail modalities for effective implementation and management of the proposed cold storages preferably in PPP mode.
- Initially, 58 nos. of cold storages will be set up at sub-divisional levels. Later on new ones may be set up at block level after successful implementation.
Odisha Balabhadra Jaivik Chasa Mission:
- A scheme proposal will be prepared for making Daringbadi block of Kandhamal &Swabhiman Anchal of Malkanagiri for chemical free natural farming.
- Usage of organic fertilizers like Cow dung, Cow urine, Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and bio -fertilizers to be encouraged.
Neglected Crops:
- A corpus fund for enhancing production of cotton, Jute and groundnuts in the state. Focus on neglected and forgotten crops.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY):
- State Government bears the premium for 2 ha per farmer and the farmer pays only a token money of Rs 1/- per application.
- Till 31st Aug’ 2024, 22.02 lakh farmers have registered covering an area of 14.89 lakh ha.
Digital Crop Survey:
- This year it is being conducted from 16th August 2024 to 15th September 2024 in every villages of the state through the mobile app “Agristack.”
Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana (MKUY)
- Modified operational guideline for MKUY has been brought out during 2024 to make it more entrepreneur friendly and facilitate ease of doing business.
- Till August 2024, online registration of 11,468 Commercial Agri Enterprises (CAE) proposals has been received, which are in various stages of implementation.
Farm Mechanisation:
- During 2024-25, four regional farm mechanisation melas will be organised at Keonjhar, Bolangir, Berhampur and Jeypore. Besides 26 district level and 28 Sub-Divisional level melas will be conducted for popularisation of farm machineries and equipment.
Crop Diversification Programme:
- Designed specially to promote non-paddy crops like pulses, oilseeds, vegetables and other high value crops in upland and medium-up land
- Rs. 216.06 Crore has been allocated for the financial year 2024-25.
Rice Fallow Management:
- Promoted under Crop Diversification and is being implemented in Rabi season.
- During 2024-25, target is to cover 1. 25 million acres with a budgetary allocation of Rs. 252.90 Crore
Agriculture Production Clusters (APCs):
- The APC project is being implemented in 100 backward blocks of 16 districts in convergence mode.
Support to Farmer Producer Organisation (FPOs):
- Objective is to support more than 1000 FPOs reaching at least 3 Lakhs farmers in the next 5 years to support the FPO ecosystem.
- Now, we are exporting fruits and vegetables on a regular basis.
Krushak Odisha:
- A massive farmers’ database has been built up covering the entire state.
- The entire input delivery & monitoring mechanism has been made online and the incentives are extended in DBT mode.
- Till 31st Aug, more than 82 lakh farmers have been registered.
LED Wall:
- This extensive IEC drive started from this Kharif season.
- 58 nos. Outdoor LED video walls have been installed in District headquarters/Sub divisional levels across the State.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY 2.0)-WDC:
- Watershed Development Programme under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme “WDC-PMKSY 2.0” wherein 53 Watershed clusters have been sanctioned with a treatable areas of 2.93 lakh hectares.
- The Budget outlay is Rs. 199.82 Crore
Pradhana Mantri Krushi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)-PDMC:
- Micro Irrigation
- Subsidy to the extent of 80%, 70%, 60% for SC/ST, Small / Marginal and other farmers respectively.
- The Budget outlay is Rs. 126.67 Crore
Cotton Production:
- The cotton production shall be promoted by streamlining its procurement process through local mandis and strengthening of cotton industry in the state.
- Budgetary allocation of Rs 20.66 Crore
- All these farmer welfare schemes will be included in “Samrudhi Krushi Niti” of the State.
Singh Deo also highlighted the Union Cabinet’s recent approval of seven schemes worth Rs 14,235 crore aimed at improving farmers’ incomes.
Six of these namely, Digital Agriculture Mission; Crop science for food and nutritional security; Strengthening Agricultural Education, Management and Social Sciences; Sustainable development of Horticulture; Strengthening of Krishi Vigyan Kendra; and Natural Resource Management will be implemented with matching share from the state government, he added.
Concluding his presentation, the Deputy CM urged the House to approve the Rs 13,178 crore budget for the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, along with the expenditure already authorized in the Vote-on-Account.
