Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has launched a Commercial Layer Chicken Farming Scheme, offering subsidies of up to Rs 10 crore for setting up modern automated poultry farms, as part of its efforts to boost egg production and achieve an annual output of 1,000 crore eggs by 2036.
Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik inaugurated the scheme at an event organised by the department at the Veterinary Training Institute here on the occasion of World Egg Day 2026.
Under the Commercial Layer Farming Scheme (CLFY), financial assistance will be provided for establishing automated commercial layer and pullet farms with a capacity of more than 25,000 birds. The scheme also provides for advance subsidy through a ‘Mirror Account’ to reduce the interest burden on bank loans taken by entrepreneurs.
The initiative is aimed at meeting the state’s growing demand for eggs while promoting entrepreneurship and investment in the poultry sector, the minister said.
Odisha currently produces around 1.12 crore eggs daily through 189 commercial layer farms, semi-commercial farms and backyard poultry units. The state aims to raise per capita egg availability from the current 87 eggs annually to the national average of 106 by 2029, and subsequently secure a place among the country’s top five egg-producing states.
Mallik said the government was extending financial support across different categories of poultry farming to accelerate production.
Under the Animal Resources Enrichment Scheme, 100 per cent financial assistance is being provided to 43,000 beneficiaries for backyard poultry farming during 2026-27. Financial assistance of up to Rs 2.64 lakh is also available for duck rearing.
For semi-commercial layer farms with capacities ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 birds, the government provides 50-60 per cent financial assistance, subject to a maximum of Rs 19.74 lakh. Entrepreneurs setting up large layer farms can also avail themselves of assistance of up to Rs 1 crore under the Chief Minister’s Agriculture Enterprise Scheme.
The minister said the combined impact of these initiatives was expected to significantly increase egg production in the state and help achieve the targets set under Odisha Vision-2036.
Over the past two-and-a-half years, the state government has provided approximately Rs 512 crore in financial assistance to poultry farmers and entrepreneurs for setting up broiler and layer farms, he said, adding that the support was contributing to growth in both poultry meat and egg production.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department Prem Chandra Choudhury said Odisha had considerable potential to expand its egg production capacity.
Poultry farmers, entrepreneurs, departmental officials and media representatives attended the programme.
