Bhubaneswar: Farmers are the backbone of society and the true drivers of the economy, said Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi while addressing farmers at a state-level programme organised at the Krushi Siksha Sadan on the occasion of PM Kisan Utsav Divas and the disbursement of the 22nd installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi on Friday.
The programme was organised following the nationwide launch of the 22nd installment by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Guwahati. Under the latest installment, around ₹19,000 crore has been released to nearly 9.32 crore farmers across the country.
Addressing the gathering, Majhi said the slogan “Jai Kisan” becomes meaningful only when farmers progress, emphasising that the development of both the state and the nation is impossible without the growth of the farming community.
He said the PM-Kisan scheme is helping farmers purchase seeds, fertilisers and other agricultural inputs. Though the ₹2,000 installment—₹6,000 annually in three installments—may appear small to some, it is significant support and recognition for small farmers, he added.
In Odisha, more than 34.24 lakh eligible farmers received the ₹2,000 installment, with a total financial assistance of ₹684 crore released under the 22nd installment.
The Chief Minister urged farmers to complete mandatory requirements such as e-KYC, Aadhaar-bank account linkage, land record verification and name correction as per Aadhaar to ensure they receive the benefits of the scheme without interruption.
Majhi also highlighted the state government’s CM-Kisan Yojana, under which eligible farmers receive ₹4,000 annually in two installments. Over 6 lakh new beneficiaries have been included in the scheme. So far, more than ₹2,991 crore has been provided to 51.54 lakh beneficiaries, including 3,236 farmers from Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) and 31,695 farmers from urban areas.
He further spoke about the Krishi Vidya Nidhi scholarship programme, which supports children of CM-Kisan beneficiaries pursuing professional and vocational courses such as medical, engineering, agriculture, nursing, diploma and ITI programmes in institutions within and outside the state.
During the 2024–25 academic year, 13,923 students received ₹53.67 crore in scholarships under the scheme—five times higher than the previous year. For the 2025–26 academic year, 68,915 students have already applied, and the government plans to provide ₹290 crore in scholarships, marking an all-time high.
Majhi also emphasised the need for crop diversification, urging farmers not to depend solely on paddy cultivation but to expand into pulses, vegetables, fruits and other cash crops. He said Odisha’s fertile soil offers great potential for agricultural exports if used effectively.
The Chief Minister warned of emerging challenges such as climate change, erratic weather patterns, water scarcity and soil erosion, stating that climate-resilient agriculture, innovation, digital solutions and group-based farming models would be crucial for ensuring a sustainable food system.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said the first PM-Kisan installment of the year was being distributed and urged farmers who missed the 22nd installment to complete Aadhaar-bank linkage and land record verification to receive assistance.
He also thanked Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Majhi for approving the establishment of new agricultural colleges in Mayurbhanj and Balangir districts and a fisheries college in Sonepur district to strengthen the agricultural education ecosystem.
Among others present at the programme were Ekamra-Bhubaneswar MLA Babu Singh, Khurda MLA Prashant Jagdev, Agriculture Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, Vice-Chancellor of Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology Prof. Prabhat Kumar Roul, Director of Agriculture and Food Production Shubham Saxena and Khurda Collector Amrut Ruturaj.
