Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday disbursed ₹1,025 crore to 51 lakh farmers under Odisha’s CM Kisan Yojana.
The announcement was made during the state-level Krushak Divas celebrations held in Baramunda on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, one of Odisha’s major agrarian festivals.
For the first time, 25,532 urban farmers were included under the scheme, which provides financial assistance to help cultivators invest in critical inputs.
Majhi marked the occasion by participating in the traditional “Akhi Muthi Anukula” ritual at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) farm, symbolising the onset of the Kharif season.
The chief minister ceremonially sowed paddy seeds and ploughed the land, joining farmers in their customary beginning to the agricultural year.
Later, Majhi transferred the funds through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Under the CM Kisan Yojana, each farmer receives ₹4,000 annually in two instalments. The scheme aims to provide timely assistance, helping farmers invest in essential resources for their crops.
Speaking at the programme, Majhi accused the previous BJD government of inaction. “They passed a resolution in the Assembly for raising the MSP of paddy but did nothing. We had promised ₹3,100 per quintal and we have delivered. Our government is fully committed to the welfare of farmers,” he said.
Deputy chief minister KV Singh Deo also addressed the gathering, highlighting the government’s initiatives to boost farmers’ income and rural livelihoods.
Opposition leader and BJD president Naveen Patnaik also extended his Akshaya Tritiya greetings via X: “My heartfelt greetings to the people of the state on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya and Akhi Muthi Anukula. May the blessings of the Lord bring good harvest, happiness, and prosperity in the lives of our farmer brothers and sisters.”
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das joined a separate farmers’ event at Kalayanpur village in Bhubaneswar block in Khurda district. He urged the government to ensure the supply of certified paddy seeds to guarantee a good harvest.
