Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s agricultural sector is witnessing significant growth and transformation, driven by strategic policy initiatives, technological adoption and climate-resilient practices, Agriculture Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said during a national workshop on pulse crops under the Rashtriya Dalhan Atmanirbharata Mission in Madhya Pradesh Saturday.
Organised under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Singh Deo participated in the above workshop and highlighted the state’s scenario.
The meeting was chaired by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, where he stated that for the self-reliance of the country, for the welfare of farmers, ‘Dalhan Atmanirbharata Mission’ was launched.
“Importing pulses from abroad is not acceptable, and it is a matter of shame. Dalhan Atmanirbharata Mission is not just a mission to increase pulse production but also a campaign to empower our farmers,” he said.
Sharing his views, Singh Deo shared that on one hand, Odisha provides input assistance to farmers for paddy cultivation and empowers them, and on the other hand, to make them self-reliant, the state also practicesthe Comprehensive Project on Rice Fallow Management (CRFM).
“It is a flagship initiative of the state government, which aims to convert vast rice fallow lands into productive areas growing short-duration pulses and oil seeds during the Rabi season.
It is worth noting that, in Rabi 2025-26, 3.5 lakh Ha demonstrations have been programmed in all the districts of the state,” he noted.
With all the progressive steps, Odisha is going to be the developmental hub among the Purvodaya states in agriculture, Singh Deo added.
Agriculture ministers from various other states, along with OUAT VC Pravat Kumar Roul, and representatives from ICAR and ICARDA also attended the workshop.
